Counties go wireless

Government Technology Digital Communities, reports on the growth of wireless broadband networks of U.S. municipalities. At the September Muniwireless conference, a published study found that U.S. cities, towns and counties "will spend nearly $700 million over the next three years to build municipal-owned wireless networks." Washington Post (WP) reported Wednesday that Philadelphia plans to build such a network offering the service to low income households for as low as $10 per month. An Associated Press (AP) story reported Sunday that Google recently filed an application to build a free wireless network for the city of San Francisco. Free Press, "a nonpartisan organization working to involve the public in media policymaking and to craft policies for more democratic media," believes cities view municipal wireless as a means "to spur economic growth: on the one hand to put tools in the hands of the underprivileged and give them a leg up, and on the other to provide incentives to small businesses to locate in these cities and to expand their operations."