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June 29, 2006
Does Muni Wireless Really Work At All?
After being accused of disseminating “disinformation” time and again whenever I write about the mounting number of municipal broadband failures, it is not without some satisfaction that I can report that city officials in Chaska, Minn., have been yanking our chain about the “success” of their municipal wireless system for the past 18 months.
It turns out Chaska, which has been repeatedly (and exclusively) upheld as the shining example of a successful muni wireless operation, has been a disaster.
Its problems, catalogued by TechDirt, haven’t been much different from other cities. Much of it dealt with engineering the high-frequency, low power radio coverage that WiFi uses, a day-to-day task that gives 25-year industry veterans grey hairs, yet that every city seems to believe can be done by an intern with a second-hand oscilloscope. Earlier this year Chaska disclosed that it had gone overbudget by $300,000—some 50 percent—optimizing its system.
Although they made the problems sound minor, in truth, most of the residents were unable to access the system until a few weeks ago--and TechDirt remains skeptical of that claim. Throughout all this Chaska misled everyone, never admitting its sizable problems. I recall speaking the North Cable Association Conference in Minneapolis, I raised all the issues about muni wireless that should concern cities, while the Chaska city official who shared the panel assured the audience that, in his case, muni wireless was a financial and popular success.
Every time I have addressed the boondoggle that is muni wireless, I hear Chaska, Chaska, Chaka, to the point where I was being forced to concede it as an example of a muni system that worked. Well no more. To date, we are hard-pressed to find any city that has successfully pulled off municipal broadband in any form. They may get systems up, but they are poor in quality, coverage and financial return. Even the press senses blood in the water. Uncritical, saccharine-laced stories about how muni broadband was bringing “hope” to rural America have given way to sober pieces like Newsweek’s Wi-Fi Fever .
I have been following this issue closely for some two years. From what I've seen I can confidently predict that cities like Philadelphia, San Francisco, Portland and others that have struck deals with private partners are not going to get anything near the networks they expect. Right now, free market competitors show every sign of getting far wider and higher quality broadband coverage before any muni-sponsored effort cuts over. By the time these large private-partnerships come on-line—if ever—most of the low-end market will have choices, either from other commercial players or from nonprofits. EarthLink, MetroFi and Google will simply shrug their shoulders and stick to serving high-revenue areas, while enjoying all the right-of-way discounts and city contract revenues they negotiated for themselves. Politicians who touted these sweetheart deals will decide the less said about them the better.
It’s time for cities to read the headlines and wise up. Muni broadband doesn’t work and never will. Stick a fork in this debate. It’s done.
Posted by steve.titch at June 29, 2006 11:25 AM
My life's been pretty dull recently. Shrug. My mind is like a void. I haven't gotten anything done lately. I can't be bothered with anything recently.
Comment by: Sten19903 at January 26, 2007 03:36 PM
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Basically nothing noteworthy happening right now, but eh. Today was a complete loss. I haven't been up to much recently. I've pretty much been doing nothing worth mentioning.
Comment by: Sten4210 at January 26, 2007 10:41 PM
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I just don't have much to say these days, but so it goes. Today was a total loss. I guess it doesn't bother me.
Comment by: Sten61773 at January 27, 2007 11:57 AM
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I haven't been up to much today. I've just been letting everything happen without me. Basically nothing seems worth bothering with. I've just been hanging out doing nothing. I just don't have anything to say right now. More or less nothing happening.
Comment by: Sten24354 at January 28, 2007 08:06 PM
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I just don't have anything to say. Not that it matters. Eh. I've just been staying at home doing nothing, but I don't care. That's how it is.
Comment by: Sten94682 at January 29, 2007 05:52 AM
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I haven't gotten anything done today. I feel like a fog, but what can I say? I've just been letting everything wash over me lately, not that it matters. Shrug.
Comment by: Sten36554 at January 29, 2007 06:50 PM
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I haven't gotten anything done recently. I've just been hanging out doing nothing. I haven't been up to anything these days, but it's not important. Today was a total loss.
Comment by: Sten74464 at January 30, 2007 12:37 AM
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Basically nothing noteworthy happening right now, but eh. Today was a complete loss. I haven't been up to much recently. I've pretty much been doing nothing worth mentioning.
Comment by: Sten16490 at January 30, 2007 09:44 PM
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Basically nothing seems worth thinking about. I haven't been up to much these days. I just don't have much to say right now. I can't be bothered with anything , but whatever.
Comment by: Sten40545 at January 31, 2007 07:22 AM
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I feel like a complete blank, but I don't care. Pfft. I've pretty much been doing nothing worth mentioning.
Comment by: Sten23819 at January 31, 2007 03:45 PM
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My mind is like a bunch of nothing, but I guess it doesn't bother me. I haven't been up to anything recently. I've pretty much been doing nothing to speak of.
Comment by: Sten41664 at February 1, 2007 10:24 AM
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I just don't have anything to say right now. I haven't been up to anything recently, but it's not important. I've just been sitting around waiting for something to happen, but shrug.
Comment by: Sten38178 at February 1, 2007 04:06 PM
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I've just been staying at home waiting for something to happen. Whatever. Not much on my mind lately. I guess it doesn't bother me.
Comment by: Sten16294 at February 2, 2007 04:48 PM
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Not much on my mind these days, but what can I say? It's not important. I just don't have much to say lately. I've just been letting everything pass me by recently, but eh.
Comment by: Sten13352 at February 2, 2007 08:55 PM
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I haven't been up to much lately. I've basically been doing nothing , but it's not important. I can't be bothered with anything recently. I've just been letting everything happen without me lately.
Comment by: Sten33465 at February 3, 2007 12:33 AM
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I haven't gotten anything done today. I feel like a fog, but what can I say? I've just been letting everything wash over me lately, not that it matters. Shrug.
Comment by: Sten94475 at February 3, 2007 11:23 AM
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I haven't been up to anything these days. So it goes. I can't be bothered with anything these days.
Comment by: Sten32922 at February 4, 2007 06:48 AM
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I haven't gotten anything done today. I feel like a fog, but what can I say? I've just been letting everything wash over me lately, not that it matters. Shrug.
Comment by: Sten30277 at February 4, 2007 08:40 PM
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I haven't been up to much today. I've just been letting everything happen without me. Basically nothing seems worth bothering with. I've just been hanging out doing nothing. I just don't have anything to say right now. More or less nothing happening.
Comment by: Sten50521 at February 5, 2007 03:14 PM
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I feel like an empty room, but eh. Nothing seems worth doing. I haven't gotten much done today.
Comment by: Sten12964 at February 6, 2007 12:09 AM
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I've just been staying at home not getting anything done. I've basically been doing nothing worth mentioning. My life's been pretty unremarkable these days. Eh.
Comment by: Sten70189 at February 6, 2007 08:21 AM
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