FutureWire - futurism and emerging technology

Monday, December 12, 2005

Tempe, Ariz. Goes Totally Wi-Fi

Tempe, Arizona has crossed a milestone in making wireless Internet access as ubiquitous as water and electric utilities. Using a mesh network on light poles over 40 square miles, the Phoenix suburb will offer access for $29.95 per month (students at nearby Arizona State University will get two hours of free access per day) throughout the entire city. Speed will vary by the number of users currently logged in, and indoor users may have limited connectivity without a signal booster. So while the service is imperfect (and still cost-prohibitive for many users), it puts Tempe at the forefront of municipalities offering wireless Internet.

Source: AP (via Excite)