Portland muni Wi-Fi network enables private enterprise
A Wi-Fi service provider is turning Portland’s free muni Wi-Fi network into a business opportunity in Oregon by opening a retail store selling mobile USB units and indoor, outdoor and portable anntennas and other computer devices and services.An Oregon Wi-Fi service provider is turning Portland’s free muni Wi-Fi network into a business opportunity by opening a retail store selling mobile USB units and indoor, outdoor and portable anntennas and other services.
The provider, ExpressNets, is a lovely example of how private enterprise not only benefits from–but is enabled by–successful muni deployments.
It’s always amused me how readily “free market” think tanks attack muni networks as anti-competitive when their large telco client interests are at stake but they’ve never taken a look at the small to mid-sized businesses that are profitting from the opportunities that the broadband access brings to their communities. ExpressNets has been providing Wi-Fi devices to enhance connections in 15 U.S. communities with muni networks.
The signal from Portland’s MetroFi network is strong in the story and the provider, ExpressNets, is inviting customers to simply come and surf and learn about their offerings.
Click here to read the story.
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I thought that MuniWireless.com was in the business of providing news and commentary about municipal wireless networks, not just shamelessly regurgitating advertising campaigns…?
Since this is the first article I have ever read on muniwireless about a consumer store
opened up by a third party in a muni wifi city to specifically help and cater to residents
and help them take advantage of the city-wide wifi network I think this was an EXCELLENT choice
for an article and great news for the industry.
Thanks muniwireless for telling people about the good news out there about these networks.
Every good story needs to be told.
Sounds to me they’re also in business due to the UNsuccessful deployment since MetroFi decided to only install 60% of the density recommended. Sure, some will obviously still need repeaters (referred to as ‘modems’ on ExpressNets’ website) setup, but not the current dramatic amount that could’ve been avoided.
The fact that we refer to a press release in commenting on developments regarding muni wirless networks has nothing to do with “reguritating” an ad campaign. We frequently point to press releases in announcements about what’s going on and add any commentary we feel is appropriate.
If you’ve followed the market, you should be aware that opponents of muni wireless frequently attack the concept as being “anti-competitive” and an example of governmental usurption of the free market. Those of us close to the industry understand that one of the chief motivations behind the deployment of muni wireless networks is that it should enable local enterprises. This is an example of a business that would not exist if not for the muni network. We have no interest in helping NetExpress sell their products and services but we do have an interest in pointing out to municipalities that the company is an example of muni wirless enabling private enterprise. I am more than happy to highlight any and all others that are called to our attention.
While I agree entirely that the free-market think tanks are usually full of it when discussing municipal wireless and decrying it as anti-competitive, the rest of this article is really inaccurate.
First of all, unless ExpressNets picked up and moved their entire operation to Portland, this is (like MetroFi) a new branch of a California business that has setup shop in Oregon. Furthermore, ExpressNets has long been a MetroFi partner, supplying the indoor reception hardware that seems to be necessary for almost any indoor use of MetroFi’s service. This article implies that they spontaneously sprang into business in reaction to MetroFi’s Portland network, which is simply untrue.
Far from this being an instance of “muni wireless enabling private enterprise” this is a private enterprise (ExpressNets) assisting another private enterprise (MetroFi) to make their service usable.
I’m fairly confident that when Portland’s City Council approved the Unwire Portland RFP, they did not envision “helping residents use the wireless indoors” as the primary local business opportunity.
Community Wireless, along the lines of what Personal Telco has been doing for 7 years, is much more helpful to local business than municipal networks, in the form MetroFi’s Portland deployment has taken. We demonstrated to hundreds of businesses the value of providing wireless to customers and neighbors. This creates the direct benefit of drawing more customers and getting them to stay longer as well as creating goodwill with nearby residents, who feel that their local coffee shop, bar or restaurant cares about the community by sharing their signal outside the establishment as well.
As far as I can tell, you just extracted information on the MetroFi website/press-release and posted it here with a little supportive commentary. If that’s not regurgitation, I don’t know what is.
If you really want to show that MetroFi’s /broken and incomplete network/ is enabling businesses in Portland, a better example of a /local/ business is Belmont Computers, which has been selling Ruckus hardware to Portland citizens long before anyone ever heard of ExpressNets in Portland. With no thanks to MetroFi, they also try to cover the complete gap in MetroFi’s end-user support, by offering free useful advice to citizens (Personal Telco is in the business of free useful advice for that matter too).
I stand by my comment - your attempt at journalism here is slightly less shallow than copy and paste. Now, on the whole, your articles are very good - so I hope you can accept some criticism when you deviate from the mean :).