Municipal Wireless Broadband Projects
"Municipal wireless broadband projects = projects that are funded or supported by cities and towns. These range from downtown hotzones to city- and county-wide wireless broadband networks." (http://muniwireless.com/about/)
Background
Why are such projects important?
"As more and more cities, towns and counties initiate projects to provide a dynamic, wireless, communications platform for forward looking civic and economic development, it is also important to reflect on the question below:
Who is the intended beneficiary of an un-metered wireless communications commons? The people or the corporations? The answer is that robust development benefits both, just as public education, public highways and public safety do.
Thus the people should expect the best possible un-metered communications commons for economic development, education, health, public safety and government services that their government can provide them. This is, after all, the proper and reasonable role of a democratic government for, of, and by we, the people." (http://www.greaterdemocracy.org/archives/000451.html)
More Information
A report by the Institute for the Future, at http://future.iftf.org/2006/04/adsupported_mun.html