Council OKs wireless Internet plan Council OKs wireless Internet plan (November 26, 2004)

Free Wi-Fi at civic center, library to be installed

The city council voted Tuesday to accept a five-year deal with MetroFi, which will install a wireless Internet network throughout the city.

MetroFi, a company based in Mountain View, will place radio transmitters on about 100 streetlight poles in the city. Each transmitter provides Wi-Fi service to about three city blocks.

The non-exclusive agreement allows MetroFi to cover most of the city's residential areas and also establish "hot zones" at the Civic Center and the public library, where up to 128 users can be logged on for free. Installation of the free wireless Internet access areas will be completed in March 2005.

Home users would pay $19.95 monthly for the service and a modem rental fee, or $14.95 for just the service. Access speeds are up to 1 megabit per second, whereas DSL and cable Internet transmits from 1.5 to 3 megabits per second.

The city would earn about $1,400 annually from the deal, after waiving some fees for the free Wi-Fi areas.

MetroFi was established in 2002 and currently operates in Santa Clara and Cupertino.
-- Candice Shih

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