The Wireless Weblog “offers a glimpse”:1 into EarthLink’s municipal wireless strategy.
A couple of months ago, I and some other NYCwireless folks also got on the phone to speak with a few people at EarthLink about their plans. Of particular interest is that they are persuing an open access network, where any ISP or other organization can buy carriage on their networks (like DSL used to work). This is a good strategy, and one that every municipality should require (though some are not). This ensures that there is a competitive marketplace in the wireless ISP space.
In the interview on the Wireless Weblog, EarthLink also acknowledges that there’s an issue with low income and digital divide service: though they can provide internet, families need PC’s as well. EarthLink would do well to persue partnerships with local non-profits for this part of the solution, as many cities have free or cheap PC programs that provide computers to low income residents. They’d also do well to work with local organizations to provide training and other services.
[1]http://wireless.weblogsinc.com/2006/01/28/a-closer-look-at-earthlinks-muni-wifi-strategy/
Filed under: Community Wireless, Muniwireless, News, Policy, Urban Wireless
Dana: You state -
In the interview on the Wireless Weblog, EarthLink also acknowledges that
there’s an issue with low income and digital divide service: though they can
provide internet, families need PC’s as well. EarthLink would do well to
persue partnerships with local non-profits for this part of the solution, as
many cities have free or cheap PC programs that provide computers to low
income residents. They’d also do well to work with local organizations to
provide training and other services.
Actually we are – as you know, we spoke relatively early into our
development process (we had just won ANA and PHI) and we discussed that the
digital inclusion process would ‘include’ low-cost bandwidth for the
financially disadvantaged.
I mean, what’s the point of affordable broadband if you can’t afford the
equipment to access it?
Bear with us, we’ll make the appropriate announcements/info public when the
time comes…
Hope all is well – Jerry Grasso
EarthLink