Massive WiFi network to cover 37 cities in Silicon Valley

Granted, we've seen some sizable WiFi networks in our day, and while an entire country has claimed to have nationwide internet on the brain, the largest we've seen implemented here in the states span a city or so at most. Reportedly, a group of firms (including IBM and Cisco) are looking to build a $85- to $150-million outdoor WiFi network that could connect up 37 cities in Silicon Valley. The initiative will not only provide basic, free internet to those willing to deal with the ad-supported service, but it will also dish out subscriber-based signals to residents, high-speed service to businesses, and uber-secure communications to police / firefighters. As of now, the companies plan to erect test networks in Palo Alto and San Carlos later this year, with constructions of the final network to potentially begin in 2008. Just make sure Utah doesn't get a whiff of it, capiche?

[Thanks, Charlie]

[Will @ Jul 24th 2007 11:46PM]

Cool. I live in Palo Alto and AT&T pisses me off. Will keep an eye on this.

[nikster @ Jul 25th 2007 5:11AM]

Hrm? I thought all of PA had uber-fast communal fiber...

[Will @ Jul 25th 2007 10:08AM]

Not in my area, unfortunately =/

[trivialbass619 @ Jul 24th 2007 11:57PM]

This is really nothing new to me. My entire county (Oakland County, MI, approx. 900 sq miles) is in the process of rolling out free WiFi for the entire county, and it's supposed to be completed in the beginning of next year. Good to know we got a leg up on Silicon Valley ;D

[sk @ Jul 25th 2007 7:17AM]

Available for free at speeds of 128K is hardly "high speed". Everything faster is only available for subscribers at a monthly fee. Oakland wireless is a farce.

[ELQ @ Jul 25th 2007 1:44AM]

This thing does not work. I am in Foster City in Silicon Valley and we have MetroFi here. Guess what: only about 10% of Foster City actually gets the signal, even if their boxes are all across the city. Wifi does NOT work for city-wide projects. WiMAX might be the answer though.

[Jonathan Petersson @ Jul 25th 2007 4:29AM]

I agree with you ELQ, MetroFi works really poorly, even if you manage to get a signal it will drop out after a couple of minutes...

[Sinbios @ Jul 25th 2007 2:17AM]

Downtown Toronto also has something similar, and it's damn near impossible to get a signal. Hopefully the Silicon Valley guys can do better.

[Fara @ Jul 25th 2007 4:56AM]

That picture looks like Iran.

[Aunalis @ Jul 25th 2007 9:26AM]

First thing I thought of is the planes. If a PSP with the wireless switch on could mess with the delicate instruments of an airplane (BS i say), wouldn't it bring down a plane flying through this network?

[Josh @ Jul 25th 2007 10:47AM]

Am I the only one that saw that map and briefly thought it was one of those anatomical cross-section diagrams of the penis?

[adam @ Jul 25th 2007 11:30AM]

@Josh

Yes........ you are

[Stuffer @ Jul 25th 2007 11:43AM]

They should come to St. Cloud, FL. The city is already completly wireless and its free without ads

[mozman @ Jul 25th 2007 11:48AM]

I'm not sure I want my local emergency responders relying upon WiFi for their communications. We get a decent sized quake and the towers and/or the power will go down. They need to stick to their own hardened equipment.

[Luigi193 @ Jul 25th 2007 10:13PM]

I live in Vermont and there is nooooo way we would ever get anything cool...ever. We don't have At&t, it will be 1000 years before we get fiber optic we have no apple store...UG! Hm...maybe we can make a COW NETWORK! Stick an Ethernet cable up the rear and install a router in one of its stomaches! GENIOUS!