Municipal Wi-Fi networks require the development of new business models

Only a year ago, almost every American city had a greater or lesser degree of implementation of plans to deploy a municipal wireless network Wi-Fi, which could provide a significant number of residents access regardless of location and size of the purse. Newspaper MuniWireless estimates that to date in the U.S. for at least 455 cities began to build, or are seriously considering a project to deploy municipal wireless network. Two years ago there were only 122. Now the economy has made adjustments to their ruthless and city officials, along with companies willing to build infrastructure for networks Wi-Fi, have serious feasibility and calculate return on such projects, says Telecom Direct News.
In fact, all the calculations are reduced to trying to predict what kind of business model will be able to recoup the multimillion-dollar investment and will provide further financial network maintenance. For example, the well- known company EarthLink refuses to finance much of the work in deploying municipal networks, Wi-Fi, as it tried to do previously, and suggests the city authorities to take some risks. Most recently the company has refused to invest 14 million. USD. (from the required 17 million. ) In the draft municipal network in San Francisco, as the experience of return on investment based on Wi-Fi- network Philadelphia and New Orleans showed that connect the required number of regular subscribers becomes almost impossible task. Moreover, EarthLink is willing to pay 5 million. USD. Houston's city government to get more time to thinking about whether to invest in the project worth $ 50 million. USD.
As practice shows, the city authorities are also ready to change plans if the business model of wireless infrastructure, it will seem dubious. For example, the municipality of Chicago refused to Wi-Fi network worth 18.5 million. USD. The big question is the project to deploy a wireless network, worth about 20 million. USD. In Milwaukee.
On the other hand, analysts do not believe that municipal Wi-Fi networks is the end. Just go the natural search for new business models.
Source:. Nag. ru.