Covad rejuvenates Silicon Valley muni-WiFi project
We know, you're already rolling your eyes, but this time it's really for real. At least that's what Covad Communications wants us to believe. Reportedly, said outfit is jump-starting a gigantic municipal WiFi project to blanket Silicon Valley that fell apart after upstart Azulstar failed to garner funding to kick things off in 2007. Covad is hoping to cover one square mile of downtown San Carlos, California for three months, and during the test period it will gauge just how lucrative such an initiative is. If successful, it may expand into surrounding locales, but at the moment, such an endeavor is "too much to dive into." Best of luck, Covad -- history says you'll need it.
Filed under: Wireless
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Ray @ Mar 1st 2008 7:27PM
If it can't reach me here in Seattle, they're doing something wrong....
CUBSWILLWIN @ Mar 1st 2008 7:32PM
someone banket the chicago land area already.. getting tired of paying for wi-fi in gyms and coffee shops
potato @ Mar 1st 2008 7:33PM
Outdoor WiFi has always been, and will always be, a bad idea. The 802.11 technologies have been designed from the get-go to be indoor protocols, and we have a downtown WiFi system here in Toronto. Hint: it SUCKS.
Reception is bad almost EVERYWHERE you go, doesn't exist at all indoors, and speeds suck no matter what. Oh yeah, and if you walk too fast it can't hand you off between hotspots and drops your connection.
Let's wait till the right tech comes to do the job - like WiMax.
hackman @ Mar 1st 2008 7:39PM
is it free?
potato @ Mar 1st 2008 7:45PM
Actually it's not free, which makes it all the more sad. I signed up for a month after I got my iPhone, thinking that since I live and work within the coverage area, my phone would essentially have data access wherever I go.
Dead wrong. Oops.
holycow @ Mar 1st 2008 8:14PM
I hope it wasnt the provider - Atria!
Outdoor wifi imo is great in summer... i use it all the time (in University)
Raheem @ Mar 1st 2008 9:38PM
I'd be interested to hear more, please. Provider? Stats? Users? Speeds?
Long Duck Dong @ Mar 1st 2008 7:40PM
Notice how the map looks like Iran?
Just saying.
hackman @ Mar 1st 2008 7:44PM
I guess it does kinda
http://wwp.greenwichmeantime.com/time-zone/asia/iran/images/iran-map.gif
BustaCap @ Mar 1st 2008 7:45PM
Sweet! I live in San Carlos and I love me some free WiFi!
Matt @ Mar 1st 2008 8:12PM
well, I didn't notice the map looking like Iran, but maybe it looks like something out of an anatomy book...
ethana2 @ Mar 1st 2008 8:29PM
I don't care what part of them that is, I feel sorry for that person.
Raheem @ Mar 1st 2008 9:42PM
My friend you need to consider returning that book.
Raheem @ Mar 1st 2008 9:41PM
Uh, that was in reply to Long Duck Dong. Wtf... Long Duck Dong?!
Raheem @ Mar 1st 2008 10:36PM
Wtf they removed a comment of mine. Now I make no sense! No sense!
brett @ Mar 1st 2008 10:52PM
Well, I'll check it out. Finally living in san carlos has some perks!
paulwlee @ Mar 1st 2008 11:12PM
Come on guys, "rejuvinate"? And in the headline? Get an editor, fast.
Tony @ Mar 1st 2008 11:20PM
What about "muni" and "project?" They both need uppercases!
UPPPERRRCASESSS LIKE THIS!!!
dragonflyshine @ Mar 2nd 2008 12:58AM
Re Tony: Capitalizing the first word, then only proper nouns is accepted headline format. The headline is capitalized correctly.
Tony @ Mar 2nd 2008 2:56PM
Muni is a proper noun.
Will @ Mar 2nd 2008 2:18AM
Since it looks like Palo Alto is covered, I'd toss a couple bucks their way.
HumanimalCracker @ Mar 2nd 2008 2:24AM
I'm pretty sure that this was one of the fundamental principles of the national socialist movement.
phanbouy @ Mar 2nd 2008 12:52PM
WTF???????????
Tony @ Mar 2nd 2008 2:57PM
Nevermind, I am thinking of the wrong Muni.
bill edmonds @ Mar 3rd 2008 1:28AM
Rejun"E"nate not rejuvinate
dragonflyshine @ Mar 3rd 2008 1:44AM
Muni, short for "Municipal Railway," the name of public transportation in San Francisco, is a proper noun.
When muni is short for simply "municiple;" city owned, then it is not a proper noun.