Free wireless access for all

A wireless mesh is a series of transmitters scattered around town which would each be connected to two other transmitters to boost the signal and establish a net of open-channel Internet access city-wide. This Wi-Fi network would cost approximately $60,000 per square mile to build. Toronto is just under two square miles in size, so an adequate Wi-Fi mesh would initially cost just over $100,000. The city could apply for grants and might be able to arrange the budget to pay for this initial construction, but under the plan I have devised it should not have to.

What I envision is a cooperative between the city, the chamber of commerce and the various public service groups around town. Each would either hold a fund raiser or would earmark a portion of the proceeds from an existing program to help fund the project. It might take a little over a year to reach the goal, but $100,000 is just 200 $500 installments. Then, since the model employed here is to rely on public service groups to fund the initial project, if technology should advance beyond what the city initially builds, there is no reason why the cost to revamp the system should prove prohibitive. We would simply have another round of fund-raisers, or make all of the fund-raisers annual events so that a war chest could be established for regular upgrades.

Once the mesh has been established, annual maintenance and provider costs would be just a fraction of the initial start up expense. Providers could be chosen on an annual competitive bid basis. What they would provide is a low-bandwidth availability city-wide. Users who are away from their normal source of connectivity – such as in a doctor’s office or in one of the city’s parks – would be able to open a laptop and go online almost any time day or night. In order to satisfy non-compete provisions in some contracts and to avoid restraint-of-trade claims, the system would go offline between the hours of (say) 11 PM and 6 AM.

Naysayers should be aware that such systems do exist around the country. St. Cloud, Florida, for example, provides totally free wireless access to anyone entering city limits. Tempe, Arizona also offers free Wi-Fi in its 2-mile downtown area. Portland, Oregon offers its residents free service as well, but their service is ad supported - an idea which Toronto may also be able to incorporate into our service.

The benefit of such a system is obvious. It is attractive to new residents and businesses. It provides remote access to instant information for fire-fighters, EMS and police. It establishes equity since, in this information age, this would bridge the “digital divide” between those who can afford home Internet access and those who cannot. Not to mention the fact that it would give Toronto bragging rights for being on the cutting edge of new technology.