MuniWireless

Ocean City, New Jersey has issued a Request for Proposals seeking an integrator to build and operate the city-owned wireless broadband network. They expect to choose a winner on 13 September 2007 and have network up in May 2008. Read up on how the city plans to use the network.Ocean City, New Jersey has issued a Request for Proposals seeking an integrator to build and operate the city-owned (but provider-funded) wireless broadband network. They expect to choose a winner on 13 September 2007 and have network up in May 2008. The city’s model is interesting in that they will use the network for wireless beach tags and public safety (and other applications).

The deadline for responding to the RFP is July 26, 2007. You can download the document from the city’s website.

The city will own the network although it will not spend money to build it. The approximate cost of building the network is $2.5 million. The costs of operating it are in the charts below. The winning bidder has to take the risk of building the network and investing in it, but the city believes there’s a significant return based on advertising and subscription revenues.

Here are two charts showing the expected revenues and savings to the city (and to the providers). These charts, created by the city’s consulting firm MRI, are in Attachment 3 of the RFP.