Penn State Legislature may block Philly Wi-Fi Municipal Network

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

They tried in IL and now PA. djf

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Robert J. Berger" <rberger () ibd com>
Date: November 18, 2004 8:32:16 PM EST
To: Dave Farber <dave () farber net>, Dewayne Hendricks 
<dewayne () warpspeed com>
Subject: Penn State Legislature may block Philly Wi-Fi Municipal Network

Pa. may block city 'Wi-Fi' plan, backers say

By Akweli Parker Inquirer Staff Writer Posted on Thu, Nov. 18,
2004
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/business/technology/10210849.htm?1c

Supporters of Philadelphia's plan to provide wireless Internet
access blasted a bill in the state General Assembly last night
that they said threatened the city's proposal.

House Bill 30, which needs only Senate approval before being
sent to Gov. Rendell, contains a clause forbidding governments
from providing fast Internet services - including wireless
fidelity, or "Wi-Fi," access - that competes with private
services such as Verizon Communications Inc.'s DSL and Comcast
Corp.'s cable modem.

This fall, Mayor Street said his administration would look at
providing Wi-Fi access citywide at little or no charge.

At a Wi-Fi Forum organized by Philadelphia nonprofit Media Tank
last night, speakers told the audience to complain to
legislators about the restriction.

"Your involvement as citizens is crucial; as citizens, you don't
have to put up with that," said Harold Feld, associate director
of the Media Access Project in Washington.

Verizon spokesman Harry Mitchell didn't see what all the fuss
was about.

"This legislation and that facet of the legislation has been
there for a year," he said in a telephone interview. "House Bill
30 represents a negotiation among several parties."

A Comcast spokeswoman said the company did not view
Philadelphia's plan as a threat, as Comcast's cable-modem
service includes add-ons such as video e-mail and exclusive
content.

Feld and other speakers portrayed government-sponsored Wi-Fi as
a cheap, simple way to provide citizens Internet access where
the private sector either does not, or does so at unaffordable
prices.

"The private sector is doing what the private sector always did,
which is serve rich people," said Mark Cooper, research director
for Washington-based Consumer Federation of America.

Philadelphia's Wi-Fi venture is reminiscent of cities that long
ago established water and electric systems to serve their
poorest citizens when private firms failed to step up, Cooper
said.

"We see this as a fundamental public function," he said of
broadband access.

The contested bill is the proposed replacement for the state's
far-reaching telecommunications law that was created 10 years
ago and expired in December. Both the old and the new versions
define the rules for competition among telephone providers and
established a time line for deploying fast Internet service, or
broadband, throughout the state.

Verizon's Mitchell said: "There is a lot of good stuff in this
bill, good stuff for Pennsylvania," including a $42 million
technology fund for schools, and a 30 percent discount on
high-speed Internet service for schools.

Contact staff writer Akweli Parker at 215-854-5986 or
aparker () phillynews com.

--
Robert J. Berger - Internet Bandwidth Development, LLC.
Voice: 408-882-4755 eFax: +1-408-490-2868
http://www.ibd.com


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