MuniWireless

Muni wireless deployments in major cities may be down since EarthLink announced it would rethink its approach to the muni market. But they may not be out. This week the city announced its June hiring of Civitium to conduct a feasibility study on its proposed network. A report is expected by the end of the year.

Here is the text of the city’s press release:

City of Los Angeles
Citywide Wireless Network Feasibility Study Consultant Selection

September 7, 2007 ‚Äö?Ñ?¨ Earlier this year Mayor Villaraigosa and Councilman Cardenas, Chair of the City’s Information and Technology Council Committee, formally announced the LA Wi-Fi Initiative, with a goal of connecting all of Los Angeles to the global community and global economy by providing residents, schools and businesses with
cost-effective, high-speed access to the Internet.

In June 2007, the Information Technology Agency (ITA), the department leading the LA WiFi Initiative on behalf of the City, hired the consulting firm Civitium, through a competitive process, to conduct a feasibility study for the project.

Civitium’s impressive depth and knowledge in this field will benefit the City as a whole along with Muni Wi-Fi lessons learned in other Cities. The study will include community outreach and stakeholder analysis, business model assessment and selection, broadband market analysis, asset inventory, technology planning and regulatory review. Various wireless broadband deployment opportunities and strategies will be provided in the final report based on the results of the study.

The consulting team is supported by Jim Baller of The Baller Herbst Law Group, who will lead the federal and state regulatory review process in cooperation with Civitium. Other expert partners include Karen Archer Perry, founder and principal consultant of
Karacomm who will lead the community outreach effort and stakeholder input analysis, along with Community Partners, a Los Angeles based non-profit community support and incubator organization that works closely with community, civic, and business leaders in Los Angeles.

The City’s experience from existing City sponsored Wi-Fi hotspots will also be considered. The City is currently providing Wi-Fi services in locations such as Libraries, the Van Nuys Constituent Service Center, and Pershing Square. These Wi-Fi networks continue to provide a useful service to residents while contributing valuable data points to the study.

The results of the study regarding the feasibility of developing a citywide Wi-Fi network along with recommendation actions will be forwarded to the Mayor and Council before the end of the calendar year.