City officials are planning on turning all 135 square miles of Philadelphia into the world's largest wireless internet hot spot.
The plan, currently being discussed, would require the placement of thousands of transmitters around the city – most likely atop lampposts. Once operational, the $10 million network would allow users to access the internet anywhere radio waves can travel.
Philadephia’s Chief Information Officer DIanah Neff said the city would either offer the service for free or at a significantly lower price than what is currently charged for DSL or cable broadband.
Other cities have gone wireless in the last year, with Minneapolis suburb Chaska being one of the first – albeit on a much smaller scale than the proposed Philadelphia plan.
According to an AP article, Philadelphia Mayor John F. Street, a technology buff who carries a wireless handheld computer everywhere he goes, appointed a 14-member committee last week to work out the specifics of his city’s plan, including any fees, or restrictions on its use.
