Philadelphia Considers Free Citywide Wireless Access

The Associated Press is running an story about Philadelphia's city goverment seriously considering creating the world's largest hotspot. "For about $10 million, city officials believe they can turn all 135 square miles of Philadelphia into the world's largest wireless Internet hot spot....the city would likely offer the service either for free, or at costs far lower than the $35 to $60 a month charged by commercial providers"

Comments

decades of anti-govt, pro-corporate propaganda

[Cryofan]

Yes, I agree; the public financed projects are what made America great. THat and the high, progressive tax rates we had up until about 25 years ago. Lately we have just been coasting.

THe reason why we are headed downhill is because of the propaganda bought by the rich and the corporations for the last 30 years, propaganda which denigrated public service, government projects, and which glamourized corporations and the corporate sector.

No such thing as "free"

[prisoner-of-enigma]

Let's look at this for what it really is -- government subsidized Internet access. You think these access points and T1 trunks are free? No, they are not. They cost money to own and run, and that money is going to be taken from the taxpayers of Philadelphia in order to put this service up.

I'm damned glad I don't live there. Although I love the idea of citywide wireless access, but if I live and work in the suburbs, I would strongly object to my tax dollars being spent to construct and maintain a system I will never use.

But, hey! I shouldn't be complaining. I'm sure those people in the city need "free" wireless access a lot more than I need money in my pocket, right? After all, it's government's job to make sure everyone has everything they ever want for free, even if it means robbing the not-so-rich to pay the not-so-poor. Ya gotta love income redistribution, vote buying, and all the other wonderful things going on in City Hall.