Wi-Fi Friendly
Apparently, Atlanta is one of the five most wi-fi friendly cities (according to Microsoft Small Business Center):
Atlanta. How ahead of the curve is Atlanta? The answer may surprise you. It announced its citywide Atlanta FastPass Wi-Fi network back in 2003, long before the idea of covering an entire city with a wireless Internet signal hit the mainstream. Another public-private venture, Atlanta FastPass is an extremely high-speed (T1) wireless network that is available in key locations throughout the city, including City Hall, Georgia State University, and numerous neighborhoods. (Note: these are not free hotspots, but a look at the gratis access points suggests that besides the super fast public network, many other residents don’t have to pay for their wireless Internet.) Then there’s Atlanta’s airport, long criticized for its lack of affordable Wi-Fi signal. In September 2005, it flipped the switch on a massive airport-wide network with more than 100 access points covering all 5.8 million square feet of the facility. Best of all, it promised to keep access affordable to the masses of travelers who use the airport.
Interesting. It still seems to fall a little short when other cities (especially airports) offer free wi-fi in many areas. From what I’ve read, though, many airports with free wi-fi offer it as an incentive to use that airport. I guess ATL doesn’t really need to incent people, huh?
Yeah, it seems pretty ridiculous to me that Atlanta would tout some half-assed wireless network that rolled out in 2003 as reason to claim it’s one of the most “wired” cities in the US. We’re fast being left in the dust as cities like Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Minneapolis are laying down plans to cover themselves in low-cost wireless networks.
Hmmph. I’m curious as to why it cost $11 MILLION dollars to wire the airport when entire cities are being wired for that amount … I just wonder…hmmmmph.
Also – I think they should offer the 1st 30 minutes or so for free – the old bait and switch, ya know?
How exactly is this going to work? Is this pre-paid wifi where you pay for 24 hours and you can use the time at your leisure OR is it buy it and the clock starts running? Guess I should do some research about that eh?
I think our neighbors to the east would take serious issue with that report’s choice of Georgia cities. When Atlanta was JUST getting started with its wireless project, I was surfing the net wirelessly from outside Blue Mountain coffee while visiting my girl in Athens 2 years ago.
http://www.alternet.org/story/27332/