Houston To Be Wifi By Septemember

[DJboutit2]

Houston is going to setup a wifi network all over the city would be nice.  Hope it has good download & uploaded better than cable should be setup by the end of the year.  They are already looking for big name companies to fund the project.

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[StevenNOLA]

> Houston is going to setup a wifi network all over the city
> would be nice.  Hope it has good download & uploaded better
> than cable should be setup by the end of the year.  They are
> already looking for big name companies to fund the project.
>

Sounds great, but if it's anything like the WIFI New Orleans proposed, it'll be free and 144k up & down.  They did this to provide internet to those who cannot afford it.  Barely an improvement to dial-up, but free nevertheless.  Should keep SBC & Time Warner happy if it is similar.

[PantherModern]

> > Houston is going to setup a wifi network all over the city
>
> > would be nice.  Hope it has good download & uploaded
> better
> > than cable should be setup by the end of the year.  They
> are
> > already looking for big name companies to fund the
> project.
> >
>
> Sounds great, but if it's anything like the WIFI New Orleans
> proposed, it'll be free and 64k up & down.  They did this to
> provide internet to those who cannot afford it.  Barely an
> improvement to dial-up, but free nevertheless.  Should keep
> SBC & Time Warner happy if it is similar.
>
 
I work for a company who is bidding on this project.  It is certainly not something intended to replace broadband, and if I understand it correctly, it won't be 100% coverage.    
 
There is too much money to be made by businesses installing WiFi in hotels, coffee shops, restaurants, etc.  Currently, we're installing WiFi in Shell gas stations if that tells you anything.

[RFLA]

> Sounds great, but if it's anything like the WIFI New Orleans
> proposed, it'll be free and 64k up & down.  They did this to
> provide internet to those who cannot afford it.  Barely an
> improvement to dial-up, but free nevertheless.  Should keep
> SBC & Time Warner happy if it is similar.
>

The wi-fi in New Orleans is not a proposal but reality the last I heard..Right now it's running I think at 512k but is only allowed because other wi-fi services aren't online due to damage... As soon as the systems come online again, it will be brought down to the regulated 144k with NOLA employees being the only ones getting full 512k on the free system.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/28/AR2005112801773.html


RFLA

[Bruce Carter]

Probably if you live within a mile of downtown, you get it.  If you live in suburbs like 98% of the population of Houston does - you won't get it.

[Mediafrog]

> Probably if you live within a mile of downtown, you get it.
> If you live in suburbs like 98% of the population of Houston
> does - you won't get it.

These city systems can use hundreds of hotspots for wide coverage, much like the cell phone model.  However, this would be City of Houston proper, so the suburbs won't get it anyway.

An issue with these plans is the increasing WiFi congesiton of the 2.4 GHz band, which might cause connection problems.  Lots of cordless phones are now in this frequency range as well.  A far cry from a few years ago when only a handful of ham operators occupied the 12cm band (2.3 to 2.45 GHz.)

[Bruce Carter]

> These city systems can use hundreds of hotspots for wide
> coverage, much like the cell phone model.  However, this
> would be City of Houston proper, so the suburbs won't get it
> anyway.

Could - but probably WON'T.  Sounds like a feel-good touchy feely government handout to vagrants on the street, who all have laptops with wireless access to go along with their gin bottle in a paper bag.  

> An issue with these plans is the increasing WiFi congesiton
> of the 2.4 GHz band, which might cause connection problems.
> Lots of cordless phones are now in this frequency range as
> well.  

Add a new crop of wireless keyboards and mice, and little standard called "zigbee" which actually WORKS when bluetooth doesn't.  All of the sudden 2.4 GHz get VERY congested in a hurry!