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.

[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.