Microsoft Enters Municipal Wi-Fi Realm

Begin forwarded message:

From: Bob Frankston <[email protected]>
Date: November 15, 2006 3:46:37 PM EST
To: [email protected]
Subject: Microsoft Enters Municipal Wi-Fi Realm

I find this whole advertising-based Wi-Fi to be problematic. It isn’t  
really the Internet as I can’t use it to connect things. It’s really  
the Internet channel on television paid for by advertising – does  
that mean that my heart monitor will need to watch some ads or do I  
pay $20/month/device/relationship?



I’m still waiting for cities to finance their water systems the same  
way – Coca Cola is free but for $20/month/faucet you can get water  
without flavoring and without carbonation.



Sorry, just thinking about it brings to mind even more silly things



Parks with pay-per-stroll (http://www.frankston.com/?Name=Sidewalks)


The air is free but breathing is expensive? (Sort of like spectrum  
allocation – creating billable events by licensing the use of numbers)


http://setup1.wsj.com/pznsetup/sub/pznhome/setup.html





Microsoft Enters Municipal Wi-Fi Realm

Associated Press
November 15, 2006 9:20 a.m.


PORTLAND, Ore. -- Microsoft Corp. said it will partner with MetroFi  
Inc. to build a free wireless Internet service for Oregon's largest  
city.



MetroFi announced it will launch the Wi-Fi service in Pioneer  
Courthouse Square, a popular gathering place in downtown Portland, by  
the end of the year and expand it to the rest of the city within two  
years.



Microsoft will provide locally focused MSN content and advertising  
through its new online platform, adCenter. The platform, designed to  
compete with Google Inc., allows advertisers to target users based on  
their browsing habits and data such as gender, age and location.



  . . . blah blah . . .



The new system will eventually cover 95% of the city. MetroFi will  
pay to create and maintain the system. The Mountain View, Calif.- 
based company said the service will be maintained through advertising  
revenue. Users can opt for advertising-free service for $20 a month.