MuniWireless

Consumer tolerance for advertising seems to be higher than consumer tolerance for paying to access the Internet. That observation is fueling interested in ad-supported models for providing municipal wireless Internet plans. But advertising has not proved itself as a means of sustaining a viable network.

Wi-Fi Planet has an interesting analysis of the ad-support model, including summaries of the experience that providers such as MetroFi and FreeFi Networks have had with it. The upshot? As you might have guessed if you’ve been…

Two more free public Wi-Fi networks are on the shelf. MetroFi will not be building out free muni networks in Aurora and Naperville, Ill., after the communities decided not to also contract with the company to build public safety networks. It raises the question: What new business models are emerging?

This is just the latest development in a trend that exposed the fundamental flaw in the public-private model so many cities and their potential partners tried to embrace–the idea that ad…

MetroFi will use Microsoft’s MSN SideGuide as the ad delivery platform for its free muni Wi-Fi service in Portland, Oregon and Concord, California. A year ago, MetroFi and Microsoft announced that they were forming a partnership to deliver location-based ads, so in a sense, this is nothing new. MetroFi will use Microsoft’s MSN SideGuide as the ad delivery platform for its free muni Wi-Fi service in Portland, Oregon and Concord, California. A year ago, MetroFi and Microsoft announced that they…

Anchorage, Alaska, has suspended its contract with MetroFi to provide downtown wireless services after it was unable to come to terms with the company over an anchor tenancy commitment. This has been a tough week for MetroFi which is dealing with similar situations in Corona, California, and Toledo, Ohio.Anchorage, Alaska, has suspended its contract with MetroFi to provide downtown wireless services after it was unable to come to terms with the company over an anchor tenancy commitment. This has been…

There was a sit-down this week in Toledo, Ohio, as the city council’s IT committee met with the city’s former IT director who demonstrated how the proposed municipal wireless network there could be built at no cost to the city. Now issues of legality have been raised. Stay tuned…There was a sit-down this week in Toledo, Ohio, as the city council’s IT committee met with the city’s former IT director, Dr. Patsy Scott, who demonstrated how the proposed municipal wireless…

Corona, California is rethinking its citywide Wi-Fi project after MetroFi, the city’s partner, asked the city to pay at least $90,000 per year over 5 years for use of the network. Is this a trend among providers that promised to bear all the costs of deployment?Corona, California is rethinking its citywide Wi-Fi project after MetroFi, the city’s partner, asked the city to pay at least $90,000 per year over 5 years for use of the network. MetroFi asked the city…