[1st-mile-nm] Minneapolis WiFi example

[Richard Lowenberg]

Minneapolis is setting one of the better examples in the U.S., for a
municipal wireless network, which includes a communitywide 'digital
inclusion' program, to involve local residents in the use and content
generation for the network.   The city will also benefit financially from
this initiative.
rl
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Posted by Carol Ellison at 9:52 AM on June 21, 2007
(From MuniWireless.com)

"On track"
Minneapolis network is poised to welcome neighbors
The Minneapolis network is "on track"--so much so that officials there are
inviting neighboring communities to join it. With so much negative
publicity about muni-WiFi generated by the Associated Presss recent
erroneous report, its nice to see news like this coming in.

The Minneapolis Star-Tribune quotes Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak: "The
Wi-Fi plan is on track. The other issue yet to be decided is how many
other Twin Cities communities will join us. We want the suburbs, the
university and the transit system to be part of this. So we're talking
with everyone."

The network is going live downtown this week and officials project service
will be available city-wide in November. Provider US Internet is charging
$20 per month for the service.

City officials are scheduled to meet tonight to discuss the Digital
Inclusion fund and name a community advisory board for it. Five percent of
the $20 per month per paid subscription--as much as $1 million per year
over USIs 20-year contract with the city--will go to the fund to provide
service and equipment to address the digital divide and will train
residents to build community web pages. Money will be used to upgrade
equipment and provide training at 70 non-profit community technology
centers. Six initial web pages are expected to launch soon; as many as 100
are expected to be created when the network is complete.

The city recently announced a schedule of community training sessions
where residents wil learn about how to create content.


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Richard Lowenberg

New Mexico Broadband Initiative
www.1st-mile.com/newmexico
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