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San Francisco’s Free Wi-Fi Negotiations Halt Again


July 18, 2007

As one of the many cities hoping to gain free citywide wireless Internet access for its residents courtesy of Google and Earthlink, San Francisco’s negotiations came to a halt once again. Just as a final decision was to be made, two very important votes have been pushed back.

The two remaining votes include one that might send the plan to undergo an environmental impact study, examining whether there are related hazards to residents. The other vote would either reject the proposal or deliver it to the full body for final approval.

The San Francisco Neighborhood Antenna Free Union are requesting the environmental study, claiming that Wi-Fi access points on light poles present safety concerns. In the past, this organization has opposed the placement of cellular stations near schools, hospitals and other locations.

The other vote deals with new amendments to the latest proposal. The president of San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors Aaron Peskin has proposed Google increase its wireless internet download speeds from 300 kilobits to 500 kilobits. The original plan would grant EarthLink the option to charge $20 per month for a speed upgrade of 1 megabit but Peskin argues that the free service should be just as fast and widely available to anyone within the wireless network.

Peksin also wants EarthLink to serve the entire city of San Francisco and to ensure protection of its users’ privacy. Guaranteeing that the city is properly compensated for leasing its light poles to Earthlink is also a main concern of Peksin.

Given the wide use of cameras already in place on street lights and light poles across the country, it is unlikely that an environmental study would impact the progress of developments, however there are still important considerations that need to be agreed upon before moving forward.