Russ on 23 Nov 2004 17:35:05 -0000


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Re: [PLUG] Philadelphia Wireless Project


I've seen this before.  A generally available service was mandated by
the government.  Before implementation, the law was changed to bring
in the requirement for market participation.  I think it would have
worked except for three things: 1) the government in releasing it bid
did not specify the minimum requirements, 2) did not require periodic
evaluation an upgrade of technology, and 3) did not specify a monetary
penalty for non-performance.  All three conditions are reasonable with
regard to bid invitations.  It sure narrows the field when companies
see specs like these.

The result of the above mentioned fiasco was that only part of the
area is seeing service now, the service is slow, and it's unlikely
that the project will proceed.  Which government put out the bid?  The
Province of Alberta, Canada was the the government of which I speak. 
They have a lot of experience in mismanaged projects.


On Mon, 22 Nov 2004 10:45:03 -0500, Eugene Smiley <eug+plug@esmiley.net> wrote:
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> It seems that the state is getting involved now...
> 
> Today's Metro, page 8: "Members of the city's Wi-Fi taskforce - as
> well as members of the Street administration - are up in arms over a
> pushed-through Republican bill that could pre-empt Philadelphia's
> plans for city-wide free or low-cost wireless internet."
> 
> It seems that just before the legislators went on vacation 2 weeks
> early, they decided to give local phone companies the "right of
> first refusal" involving any city implementing internet services.
> In otherwords, the law, if signed by Rendell, would require a city
> to first get every phone company to first decline to offer service.
> Any city with service in place before Aug 1, 2006 is exempt.
> 
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