WiFi Networks Internet
Should New Orleans be deploying a WiFi hook-up citywide, or should this be left to the private sector?
Abstract
The case for deployment of municipal owned WiFi networks is debatable. This essay discusses the positive features of having a backup WiFi network in the case of disaster ravaged New Orleans. Furthermore it discusses the advantages of having municipal owned wireless internet network in terms of lower cost of deployment and greater social benefit. The disadvantages of a municipal owned network are also discussed in light of the previous examples of other municipal owned utilities. It can be said in conclusion that the best option for cities like New Orleans is it to introduce a municipal owned wireless network and then to gradually transfer management to private enterprises.
Outline
- Introduction to the topic
- Advantages of municipal owned WiFi networks
- Disadvantages of municipal owned WiFi networks
-Conclusion
Should New Orleans be deploying a WiFi hook-up citywide, or should this be left to the private sector?
In the aftermath of the disastrous Hurricane Katrina, the infrastructure of New Orleans was completely wiped out. This meant that traditional wireline phone service and cellular networks stopped functioning. The only communication network that was still intact was the wireless mesh network mounted on electric poles that was used to support the city's crime surveillance cameras prior to the storm. (Greene, 2006). Once power was restored to the storm ravaged city, one of the first steps undertaken by the Chief Intelligence Officer of New Orleans (CIO), Greg Meffert, was to expand the Tropos-based mesh network, link it to the Internet and open access to citizens to make IP calls through VoIP, (Voice over Internet Protocol) software from companies like Skype and Vonage (Greene, 2006). And thus the idea of a WiFi network for the city took shape, and on November 29, 2005 (just 3 months after the disaster) City Mayor C. Ray Nagin announced the deployment of the country's first free municipally owned wireless internet system in the downtown area. (Krim, 2005). The public Wi-Fi service, was set up with $1.2 million worth of equipment donated by Tropos and Intel (Hamblen, 2006).
The case of New Orleans brings to light the increasing trend of municipalities across America and the world to launch their own free or low cost wireless internet service over entire city areas. As in the case with New Orleans, the arguments for deploying a municipally owned wireless internet are
- To reduce the digital divide; a term which refers to those (individuals and businesses) who are disadvantaged by the inability to access high-speed internet because of their failure to pay for high speed DSL/broadband or their geographic location (rural America, where low population density ) which makes it infeasible to lay down the infrastructure needed for traditional wireline internet services.
- Low cost of deployment: A WiFi network makes use of existing infrastructure like electricity poles, lamp posts, municipal buildings etc. to transmit signals over a sufficiently large area. The proposed cost of the WiFi network for 1.5 m people of Philadelphia was projected at $10.5 million; conversely it cost $ 8.5 million to build the traditional broadband cable and internet network, in Lebanon (Ohio), which is a small town of only 17,000 people. Thus the cost per person would be much lower as compared to a wired network and the time taken for deployment is also comparatively faster (New Millennium Research, 2005).
- Municipally owned wireless network will bring forth efficiency and increased productivity in the working of the city councils and law enforcement agencies. This was seen in the efficient working of the building inspectors in New Orleans who were able swiftly process paperwork for reconstruction permits without wasting time in travel from city office to site. WiFi networks can also in the future assist law enforcers to conduct background checks on WiFi network thus easing the demands on the radio system (Hamblen, 2006).
Opponents of the municipally owned WiFi networks argue that it is not the duty or responsibility of the city to provide wireless or for that matter wired internet. It has been observed in the past that municipal owned wired networks have a high breakeven point and usually run on taxpayers subsidies. The same notion can be used here to discourage municipal owned WiFi networks. (New Millennium Research, 2005)
- A government owned entity uses taxpayers' money to provide free or low cost internet. In the case that the institution runs into financial trouble because of a superior private competitor, the loss will be borne by the taxpayers (against their will) or by other profitable government utilities.
- Municipal entities may work on a non-profit business, and because of their lack of expertise may make poor network operators because of weak technology and operational decisions and thus risking tax dollars. Furthermore, it is highly in case of financial trouble the institution may force out private competitors from the market by enforcing bans, and run the risk of becoming an inefficient state monopoly provider of wireless internet.
- The argument for erasing the digital divide is based on erroneous assumption that the availability of free or low cost internet is the solution for enhancing efficiency and productivity amongst the disadvantaged. It is highly likely that any productivity increases arising from availability of hi-speed internet to municipal agencies will be in the form of cost savings.
Whether or not states like New Orleans should be allowed to provide a WiFi network is a debatable issue. It can be argued that in the present age Internet, like roads is part of infrastructure and thus its availability is the responsibility of the local administration and not the private sector. Broadband and telephone companies argue vociferously against allowing high speed internet (above 128/kbps) to be made available for all, because it destroys their market and considerable investment.
The Congress sits with two opposing bills, one that may permit local authorities' the right to launch wireless networks in competition with telecoms and another, which would ban such activity (Rethink Research Associates, 2005).
However the one conclusion that may be drawn with ease is that wireless technology is robust and efficient enough to sustain major natural disasters and can be re-deployed with lesser time loss than the traditional cable system. In wake of such disasters, cities like New Orleans must be permitted to setup their own wireless systems, which may after some time be transferred to private enterprises (like EarthLink in Philadelphia) for better management and control.
References
Greene, T. (2006). VON: New Orleans' crime-fighting Wi-Fi network is now the city's lifeline. Retrieved February 4, 2008, from NetworkWorld
Website: http://www.networkworld.com/news/2006/031606-new-orleans-wi-fi.html
Greene, T (2006). Eye of the hurricane: New Orleans prepares disaster-recovery plan following Katrina based on Wi-Fi, Voip. . Retrieved February 4, 2008, from NetworkWorld.
Website: http://www.networkworld.com/research/2006/082106-katrina-recovery-part2.html?page=1
Hamblen, M. (2006). New Orleans CIO vows to keep city Wi-Fi at high speeds. Retrieved February4, 2008, from ComputerWorld
Website: http://www.networkworld.com/news/2006/041406-new-orleans-cio-vows-to.html
Krim, J. (2005, November 29). New Orleans's new connection: city-owned WiFi system to be announced today. Washington Post, pp. D01.
New Millennium Research Council. (2005, February). Not in the public interest - the myth of municipal WiFi networks'. Retrieved February 4, 2008, from http://www.newmill
enniumresearch.org/archive/wifireport2305.pdf
Rethink Research Associates. (2005). Digital communities program shows municipal networks come of age. Retrieved February 4, 2008, from High Beam Encyclopedia
Website: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-138704305.html
We provide a professional essay writing service that thousands of our customers use as an effective way of improving their grades, improving their research and saving them lots of time.
