The first clients of Wireless Washtenaw. arguably the gepgraphically largest municipal wireless project in the U.S., have begun receiving free wireless Internet Access in Michigan, according to a report in the Ann Arbor News.The first clients of Wireless Washtenaw. arguably the gepgraphically largest municipal wireless project in the U.S., have begun receiving free wireless Internet Access in Michigan, according to a report in the Ann Arbor News.
20/20 Communications. the wireless Internet service provider for the project, began unwiring client homes and businesses in the 720 square mile county this month. It plans to add 25 subscribers per week as it test-drives the network that eventually will serve the entire county.
20/20 is bearing the cost of the $26 million project that will provide free low-speed access throughout the county in exchange for access to light poles and other antennae sites owned by the county. Officials of Washtenaw County and the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor have worked together on the project for about two years.
The project is a spin-off of the non-profit Ann Arbor IT Zone, a public ‚Äö?Ñ?¨private partnership aimed at providing technological resources to foster economic development around Ann Arbor. Wireless Washtenaw selected 20/20 as its service provider in June.
Service will be extended to about 500 customers during the test phase of the project. 20/20 will begin the full build-out in March. Service to the entire county is expected to be available by the end of 2007. Participants in the pilot project include those who receive free service, as well as those who receive higher-speed fee-based services.
According to the 20/20 web site:  
The pilot is our opportunity to fine tune our network. ¬¨‚ĆAt this time we are not looking for customers as much as we are looking for partners in helping us determine the pilots’ strengths and weaknesses. ¬¨‚ĆWe will need residents to test and report on their connectivity, speed, and ease of use for both the free and fee based service. ¬¨‚Ć
  
[...] You have to wonder just how big and just how complicated. Models are out there. We’ve talked about many at our conferences and on this site. One popular model that is emerging is a two-tiered plan in which a basic, lower-speed service is offered free while high-speed services come at a price.  That is what Washtenaw County will offer and, while the San Francisco programs seems stalled, theirs is moving forward. In Municipal Wireless, Municipal Wireless/Projects Posted Wednesday, December 27, 2006 [...]
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