MuniWireless

Pasadena has shelved its plans for a citywide Wi-Fi network after EarthLink pulled out of its contractual obligations to build one for the city. EarthLink has done the same to a number of other cities (and surprisingly I have not heard one of them suing EarthLink for breach of contract).

According to this article, the problem was the business model: The ventures failed because the business model for such public-private partnerships just doesn’t work, said Morley Winograd, executive director of the…

Viviane Reding, the European commissioner in charge of telecommunications will do everything she can to enforce functional (or structural) separation in the EU. According to this article in the NYT, the EU’s efforts to increase competition in the member states, by clamping down on the power of local telecom incumbents, has resulted in a dramatic rise in broadband penetration and in a few countries like France, lower prices and higher speeds. Here are a few excerpts from the article:

“We have…

Twenty-two towns in rural Vermont plan to pool resources to launch a fiber-optic project that could be live by the end of 2009. The idea is to bring together a large enough collective to attractive the necessary funding.

Meraki, a wireless mesh equipment maker, has announced a bold plan to create a citywide Wi-Fi cloud in San Francisco that would provide free Internet access. The project relies upon residents setting up solar-powered mesh nodes on their rooftops and repeaters in their homes.

What is Meraki’s “secret” sauce? Here’s what the press release says:

“Meraki’s unique technology creates a wireless network by combining signals from hundreds or thousands of low-power radio repeaters installed on rooftops, balconies and windows, extending WiFi access…

Glenwood Springs, Colorado, may expand the city’s broadband network to run fiber to every home..The project would require about $22 million in capitol expenses and bond funding. Glenwood Springs, Colorado, may expand the city’s broadband network to run fiber to every home. The project would require about $22 million in capitol expenses and bond funding.

This week the council received a presentation that justified the expense in terms of the pay-back the project would deliver to the community, returning approximately $10…

The European Commission has approved public funding of a fiber optic network in the region southeast of Toulouse, France. The network will cost 2 million EUR to build.The European Commission has approved a 2 million EUR public funding of a fiber optic network in the region southeast of Toulouse, France.

The network allows access to all operators under transparent and non-discriminatory terms. It is also designed to provide a direct fiber optic connection to all participants, at speeds of at…