About that free wi-fi cloud... (Jack Bog's Blog)

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This page contains a single entry from the blog posted on April 24, 2006 1:06 PM. The previous post in this blog was E-o-leven. The next post in this blog is He will be missed. Many more can be found on the main index page or by looking through the archives.

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« E-o-leven | Main | He will be missed »

Monday, April 24, 2006

About that free wi-fi cloud...

Hmmm... Let's see... Doesn't work well in a town of 28,000... Hey, let's do it right now in a city 20 times that size! Think big! Can you say "linchpin"?

Posted at 1:06 PM | Permalink

Comments (9)

or Bill M's term, "underpants?"

Posted by hilsy | April 24, 2006 1:32 PM

Of course, it'd only be directly relevant if MetroFi were providing the network down there, which they aren't. It's also unclear whether the technological specifics in this story equate to whatever MetroFi intends to roll out here.

Posted by b!X | April 24, 2006 2:35 PM

With all due respect to my fellow elected officials, "free wi-fi" is anything but free. Sure, individual subscribers might save $50 per month in internet access charges in exchange for a wi-fi network of questionable quality o reliability.

But look at the other side of the coin. The private sector already provides internet and/or wi-fi service for customers who choose to pay for it. Those private companies have employees who live and work in the Portland area.

If you take $50 per month in internet/wireless access and multiply it by, as an example, 100,000 Portland residents who might switch to the so-called "free" city wi-fi system, you're looking at FIVE MILLION dollars per month, and SIXTY MILLION dollars per year that no longer go to local companies.

That's a lot of lost jobs in the Portland area. It also means lost payroll tax revenue, lost school district revenue, I could go on and on.

Is this really the purpose of local government?

Posted by Robert Canfield | April 24, 2006 2:58 PM

Robert, although I totally "get it", your explanation includes logic and standard business sense. This is government, and we've seen that those principles are not always embraced as in the private sector where financial consequences are real. They'll never get it until their revenue decreases from the private companies. Then, crying "we have no money" they'll just increase the tax rate for the remaining businesses and the rest of the suckers in the city and county.

This is just one of many bad ideas that initially seems "cool, progressive, visionary" but when analyzed is just another financial disaster.

See you all on the Tram!

Posted by JustLooking | April 24, 2006 3:16 PM

Or on the Max, or in a "free" bike lane near you.

Posted by Molly | April 24, 2006 3:22 PM

Of course, Robert doesn't "get it" at all. This is a typical uninformed comment.

The free cloud comes with hitches--advertising and slower connections. The company will make money off of the many who will pay a lower rate for the faster connection.

And of course his assumption that 100% of internet access fees paid to, say, Qwest, stays in Portland, is idiotic.

Posted by user | April 24, 2006 3:29 PM

Isn't this sort of like television? Government provides the infrastructure (spectrum rights), the private sector provides the ad-supported service, and the consumer watches for free once he has invested in the right equipment. And of course the consumer can upgrade to cable or satellite, which is a better service with more options.

In this case, the local government is providing infrastructure in the form of space to locate transmitters, the private sector is providing both a free and an upgraded service, and the consumer can use it for free with the right equipment. I also think the city has been pretty open that this service will not be nearly as good as cable or DSL internet. But it will allow me to, say, check email on my bus ride home, not to mention thousands of other efficiency gains for both the public and private sector.

Posted by Miles | April 24, 2006 3:46 PM

I hate to burden down such great arguments with any facts, but in case you want to learn more about what is really going on...
http://portland.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2006/04/24/story8.html

Posted by Apollo | April 24, 2006 3:54 PM

For a whole bunch more on the San Francisco WiFi project which was a backroom deal between the Mayor Gavin Newsom and Google see my blog

http://www.webnetic.net

San Francisco has a 95% outdoor coverage and 90% indoor coverage requirement - no one thinks the currently selected proposal can meet that.

additionally the google free is only 300k while the city asked for 1MB minnimum free.

Next City hearing on WiFi is Friday May 19th 1pm
PST
http://www.sfgov.org/site/lafco_page.asp?id=38962

you can watch it online on SFGTV here:

http://sfgov.org/site/sfgtv_index.asp?id=11463

Posted by Kimo Crossman | May 1, 2006 10:02 PM

In Vino Veritas

Quinta das Amoras, Vinho Tinto 2009
Mauro Molino, Barbera d'Alba 2009
Garda Chiaretto Rose
Columbia Crest, Two Vines Vineyard 10 White
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Pinot Gris, Columbia Valley 2009
L'Hortus, Rose de Saignee 2010
Maculan, Pino & Toi 2008
McKinley Springs, Bombing Range Red 2008
Trader Joe's Pinot Gris 2009
Montes Alpha, Cabernet 2007
Gran Sasso, Sangiovese, Terre di Chieti 2009
Garda, Classico Chiaretto Rose
Beaulieu, Cabernet, Rutherford 1999
Picos del Montgo, Tempranillo 2008
Chateau de Montmirail, Vacqueyras 2008
La Granja 360, Syrah 2009
Montgras, Carmenere Reserva 2009
Lange, Pinot Gris 2009
Columbia Crest, Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet 2008
Kirkland, Pinot Grigio 2010
Trader Joe's Coastal Syrah 2009
Columbia Crest, Horse Heaven Hills Merlot 2008
Trader Joe's Coastal Chardonnay 2009
Vieux Papes Red
Domaine de l'Aujardiere, Chardonnay 2009
Santa Rita, Cabernet, Medalla Real 2007
Penfold's, Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet 2008
Guild, Red, Lot #02 2008
Dievole, Dievolino Sangiovese 2008
Laforet, Burgogne Chardonnay 2009
Columbia Winery, Merlot 2007
Bonterra, Cabernet 2008
Elk Cove, Pinot Gris 2009
Maquis Lien 2006
Scott Paul, Pinot Noir, Le Paulee 2007
Cameron, Chardonnay
B.R. Cohn, Cabernet, Silver Label 2006
Graffigna, Cabernet 2005
Palo Alto, Reserve Red 2008
Menguante, Garnacha 2008
Lange, Pinot Gris 2009
Felsina Berardenga, Vin Santo 1997
Anne Amie, Pinot Gris 2009
McKinley Springs, Bombing Ramge Red 2007
Vieux Papes Red
Dionysius Chardonnay 2009
Haden Fig, Pinot Noir 2009
Vega Montan, Mencia 2008
Chateau la Vernede, Coteaux du Languedoc 2007
Mount Defiance, Hellfire (White) 2008
Root: 1, Cabernet 2008
Columbia Crest, Two Vines Pinot Grigio 2009
Columbia Crest, Two Vines, Vineyard 10 White, 2008
Columbia Crest, Two Vines, Vineyard 10 Rose, 2007
Abacela, Grenache Rose 2009
Avia Cabernet 2004
Lemelson Pinot Noir, Thea's Selection 2007
Chateau de la Roulerie, Rose d'Anjou 2009
Casal Garcia, Vinho Verde Rose
La Ferme Julien, Rose 2008
Cana's Feast, Bricco Red, 2006
Hogue, Genesis Merlot, 2008
Owen Roe, Sharecropper's Cabernet, 2008
Kim Crawford, Unoaked Chardonnay 2008
J. Scott, Pinot Noir 2008
Edmunds St. John, White, Heart of Gold 2008
Columbia Crest, Walter Clore Private Reserve 2006
Stevenot, Cabernet, Sierra Foothills, "Stanford" 2000
Portuga, Vinho Rose 2009
Taylor Fladgate, First Estate Reserve Porto
Franciscan, Cabernet, Napa 2006
Chaparral de Vega Sindoa, Garnacha 2008
Quinta da Aveleda, Vinho Verde 2008
St. Francis, Chardonnay Sonoma 2008
E. Guigal, Cotes du Rhone Blanc, 2007
Edmunds St. John, Bone-Jolly, Gamay Noir 2008
St. Innocent, Pinot Noir 2006
Jigsaw, Pinot Noir 2007
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Merlot, Indian Wells 2007
Charles Shaw, Chardonnay 2008
Edmunds St. John, Bone-Jolly, Gamay Rosé 2009
Cameron, Willamette Valley Chardonnay
Il Valore, Sangiovese, Giovane, Puglia 2008
Duck Pond, Chardonnay, Wahluke Slope 2007
Kim Crawford, Marlborough Pinot Noir 2008
Domaine du Pesquier, Cotes du Rhone 2005
Cantina Zaccagnini, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2006
Domaine Matrot, Chardonnay, Bourgogne 2007
David Hill, Oregon Sparkling Wine, Brut
Chandler Reach, Monte Regalo 2006
Elk Cove, Pinot Gris 2008
Kirkland, Columbia Valley Merlot 2008
D'Aragon, Old Vine Garnacha 2008
Columbia Crest, Walter Clore Private Reserve 2005
Pavin & Riley, Merlot 2006
David Hill, Estate Pinot Noir, Barrel Select 2006
Castle Rock, Paso Robles Cabernet 2006
Magnificent, Cabernet, Steak House 2008
Conundrum 2008
Beaulieu, Cabernet, Rutherford 1998
Saint Cosme, Cotes-du-Rhone 2007
La Granja, Tempranillo 360, 2008
Santa Rita, Mendalla Real Cabernet 2006
Columbia Crest, Grand Estates Merlot 2006
Andezon, Cotes-du-Rhone 2007
Collegiata, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo
Troon, Druid's Fluid 2008
La Granja, Tempranillo 2008
Monte Antico, Toscana 2006
Vieux Papes, Blanc de Blancs

The Occasional Book

Niccolò Machiavelli - The Prince
Harper Lee - To Kill a Mockingbird
Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus - The Nanny Diaries
Brian Selznick - The Invention of Hugo Cabret
Sharon Creech - Walk Two Moons
Keith Richards - Life
F. Sionil Jose - Dusk
Natalie Babbitt - Tuck Everlasting
Justin Halpern - S#*t My Dad Says
Mark Herrmann - The Curmudgeon's Guide to Practicing Law
Barry Glassner - The Gospel of Food
Phil Stanford - The Peyton-Allan Files
Jesse Katz - The Opposite Field
Evelyn Waugh - Brideshead Revisited
J.K. Rowling - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
David Sedaris - Holidays on Ice
Donald Miller - A Million Miles in a Thousand Years
Mitch Albom - Have a Little Faith
C.S. Lewis - The Magician's Nephew
F. Scott Fitzgerald - The Great Gatsby
William Shakespeare - A Midsummer Night's Dream
Ivan Doig - Bucking the Sun
Penda Diakité - I Lost My Tooth in Africa
Grace Lin - The Year of the Rat
Oscar Hijuelos - Mr. Ives' Christmas
Madeline L'Engle - A Wrinkle in Time
Steven Hart - The Last Three Miles
David Sedaris - Me Talk Pretty One Day
Karen Armstrong - The Spiral Staircase
Charles Larson - The Portland Murders
Adrian Wojnarowski - The Miracle of St. Anthony
William H. Colby - Long Goodbye
Steven D. Stark - Meet the Beatles
Phil Stanford - Portland Confidential
Rick Moody - Garden State
Jonathan Schwartz - All in Good Time
David Sedaris - Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim
Anthony Holden - Big Deal
Robert J. Spitzer - The Spirit of Leadership
James McManus - Positively Fifth Street
Jeff Noon - Vurt

Road Work

Miles run year to date: 26
At this date last year: 15
Total run in 2011: 113
In 2010: 125
In 2009: 67
In 2008: 28
In 2007: 113
In 2006: 100
In 2005: 149
In 2004: 204
In 2003: 269