City Needs Muni WiFi
EDITOR'S NOTE: The Frederick Extra has invited Frederick city candidates to share their views on city-related issues in up to three op-eds each month through August. The Frederick Extra will not be taking any paid political advertisements.
With technology changing every year, it is time for Frederick to consider providing municipal WiFi.Cities like Winston- Salem, NC, San Jose CA, Spokane WA and Bristol VA, already have city owned internet systems.
Frederick could have a system of it’s own for $415,000. This is relatively inexpensive when compared to other expenses the city has taken on. Take the West-Side Regional Park for example: the property was purchased in 2009 for $18 million and a price tag of $98.5 million for development into a park. Another comparison of how inexpensive it is, in 2013 the City of Frederick misplaced $2.3 million from the General Fund. With these amounts we could install and operate several systems and have money left over.
The system that the city should use is a high speed wireless Mesh-net system. Wireless mesh networks can effectively and wirelessly connect entire cities using inexpensive and existing technology. Traditional networks rely on a small number of wired access points or wireless hot-spots to connect users to the internet. In a mesh network, the network connection is spread out among dozens or even sometimes hundreds of wireless nodes that "talk" to each other to share the network connection across a large area. These nodes could also be powered by solar energy effectively making sure that the city would never lose internet connection.
The city could offer this service for $15 a month and still being in revenue. At this cost the city would provide competition to local internet providers. Internet access has become a necessity for school children, and job searching. At this reduced cost it puts this service firmly in the reach of lower income families. The residents of Frederick could effectively lower their household expenses by opting into this program.
Antonio Bowens is a Democrat running for Frederick city's board of aldermen.
