Los Angeles citywide Wi-Fi plan criticized in the LA Times
In A wireless LA, but with strings attached, Christopher Hawthorne of the Los Angeles Times, asks what a wireless LA would look like. His commentary is not so much a criticism of the project’s details per se, but a thought piece on whether it would solve the digital divide and affect the city’s social dynamic. Hawthorne asks how would people interact, how would they experience the city, in a commentary that raises many questions and generates debate about citywide Wi-Fi networks in general (click here to read the commentary).
He says:
I don’t agree that Wi-Fi turns cafes into libraries, although there is one “zombie” cafe in the Castro district of San Francisco where everyone is sitting alone staring into a screen. But that is the only cafe where I’ve seen this happen. In fact, down the street at Cafe Flore, it’s lively. There are people working on laptops, talking, eating and meeting friends. I think the problem with the “zombie” cafe isn’t so much the availability of Wi-Fi, but the ambiance of the cafe itself. It’s dark and depressing; the owners paid no attention whatsoever to creating a well-designed environment and ambiance. In other words, the cafe had no character to begin with and it’s only saving grace – that it has customers at all – is Wi-Fi.
I’d love to hear your comments on Hawthorne’s critique of the LA wireless network.
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Wi Fi network turned on like one of the most importante issue
around the country.
Aproximatly 300 cities have plan to deploy Wi Fi network and
i believe the number would be increaded.
In spite of all the benefit wichi Wi Fi network can deliver
there is still problem which most of service porvider would face.
That is the cost of building the network and since they start up
the proyect how soon they can spread the service area.
Most of service provider came out with free service or the premium
service which it cost around $19,00 but if the preminum service
would cost $9,00 still much sounds much better and they can
attract more user and they can spread the service area much faster.
But the traditional business model is not profitable enougth to
make this business to be succeded, the reason is, the only
resource which they can generate the profit is online ad and
connection fee.
But there is not any kind of survey about how effective is online
ad and online ad would be only receiptive for computer user,
therefor, is indispensable to create new business model which
online ad can be received by more Wi Fi user and consecuently
making online ad more effective and succeding on wi fi business.
So, someone is interested in my new Wi Fi proposal, e-mail to me
Jay_Mo_1207@yahoo.com
No I dont think it’s bad for our City and Yes I do believe WiFi or should I say Wi MAX is good for our City of Los Angeles. It offers so much more where I see new bussines forming cause of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa Plans of a Wireless L.A. and that will generate even more jobs.