Plan for a wireless valley raises questions
Setting up a wireless Internet hotspot at your local cafe is relatively easy.
Building a secure, affordable high-speed wireless network to cover Silicon Valley's 1,500 square miles could cost tens of millions of dollars and pose major technical challenges. Nothing like it has been done in the United States, experts say.
A coalition of valley leaders said this week that they will seek bids to create just such a regional Internet hotspot. The business, government and academic leadership group Joint Venture: Silicon Valley Network, along with the San Mateo County Telecommunications Authority, plans to solicit proposals in April.
Their announcement of the project Thursday came full of optimism over the dream of a wireless Internet network worthy of Silicon Valley: Paramedics could access medical records from an accident scene, mobile workers could check e-mail on the go, and parking meters could signal when they're almost full, saving time for meter readers.
