Chicago is launching an effort to offer wireless broadband throughout the city. Chicago has hundreds of Wi-Fi hotspots in places and to extend that wireless blanket to all 228 square miles, the city plans to ask technology companies to submit proposals for the project.


Chicago is launching an effort to offer wireless broadband throughout the city. Chicago has hundreds of Wi-Fi hotspots in places and to extend that wireless blanket to all 228 square miles, the city plans to ask technology companies to submit proposals for the project.

Chris O’Brien, the city’s chief information officer, said: “We think it’s important for residents of the city and tourists and businesses to have lots of different ways to connect. For a city as big as Chicago, with the vibrant business community and diverse citizen base that we have, you want to make sure all kinds of technology are available to them as they work and enjoy entertainment options”. [source]

According to O’Brien, the system could be running as soon as 2007.

Philadelphia hopes to have its entire system in place late this year or early next year.

According to Wi-Fi expert Glenn Fleishman, currently, the biggest municipal Wi-Fi network is the all-free MetroFi in the south San Francisco Bay area at 35 square miles.

 

 

 

 

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