City owned, Free Wireless, in New Orleans

Mayor Ray Nagin cuts the red tape, and turns it on.

[grelmar]

Globe Technology [globetechnology.com]

...the hurricane-ravaged city of New Orleans is starting the first free wireless Internet network in the United States owned and run by a major city.

********

The system will operate at 512 kilobits per second...
That will be slowed once the state of emergency is over...to 128 kbps in accordance with state law

It's not quite broadband for free, but man, I'd love to see 512 kbps free broadband in my town.

Hope this helps a town desperately in need of a boost.

[Rugles]

That is it, I am moving to New Orleans. I have always yearned to live amongst mould and wreckage, now I can have mould, wreckage and free wireless! Who needs levees.

[pmkpmk]

Maye this lifts up the spirits a bit. From an outside view (Europe), this Ray Nagin seems to make a good job. But this moves ito politics so I better stop now.

[stef25]

as the title on boing boing said "NO gets free wifi, no word yet on housing"

[vincevincevince]

That will be slowed once the state of emergency is over...to 128 kbps in accordance with state law

I'm probably missing something - why are they turning it _down_ not ^up^?

[grelmar]

I'm probably missing something - why are they turning it _down_ not ^up^?

Because the city government isn't allowed to compete with traditional ISPs. The only reason they're allowed to go in at 512 is because of the "State of Emergency."

As for the comments on Boing Boing deriding the free wireless before the housing gets going, some people are missing the point.

Wireless broadband will be a boon to the NGOs, aide agencies, and everyone involved with the reconstruction. It'll be months before the Telephone and Cable networks are running reliably. Wireless broadband means communication and co-ordination will be possible quicker, and the reconstruction will be able to move faster.