Muni WiFi

Earthlink to Philly: We will pull the plug

Brian Dolan — Mon, 12 May 2008 12:00:51 -0400

Earlier this year Earthlink announced that it was no longer interested in the municipal WiFi business, but after investing $20 million in a metro-wide WiFi network project in Philadelphia back in 2006, the company is still trying to disentangle itself. According to a report in Metro Philadelphia, Earthlink has given the city until the end of the week before it pulls the plug on the WiFi network, which has reach 80 percent of its build-out. Earthlink wants Philadelphia to devise a plan to take over the network or sell it to a third party by week's end. The company already stepped away from contracts with San Francisco, Houston, New Orleans and others. The only big contracts outstanding are Philly and Anaheim, CA, according to Earthlink.

For more on the deal:
- read this article from CNET

ALSO NOTED: Muni-WiFi moving ahead; T-Mobile's latest Samsung handset; and much more...

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 06:59:50 -0500

> Muni-WiFi moving ahead despite Earthlink pullout? Article

> Sony Ericsson patents "drag and drop" feature for transferring files from one handset to another. Article

> T-Mobile USA launches the Samsung SGH-T439. Article

> AT&T to enhance U.S. Airways cargo tracking. Release

And Finally... Vodafone users now have access to virtual phones within the virtual world SecondLife. Article

Earthlink mulls whether to shed muni-WiFi biz

Mon, 19 Nov 2007 06:59:58 -0500

After cutting 900 jobs and closing several offices in August, Earthlink now is mulling an exit from the muni-WiFi business altogether. In a statement on Friday, CEO Rolla Huff said the company "decided that making significant further investments in this business could be inconsistent with our objective of maximizing shareholder value." Earthlink has long been looking to stem losses associated with its muni-WiFi business and its MVNO joint venture, Helio, with SK Telecom. In September, the company indicated it wouldn't invest anymore in Helio for now and revealed that partner SK Telecom will invest an additional $270 million in the MVNO.

Since August, Earthlink has bailed out of a deal to provide WiFi service to San Francisco and Houston. While Cincinnati halted plans for a muni-WiFi network amid Earthlink's struggles.Ã‚Â

The ISP said it is looking at "strategic alternatives" (aka selling) for the WiFi division, which it said was worth about $40 million. As it considers the alternatives, the company said it would work closely with cities it already has deals with.

To read more:
- check out this article from AP

Related articles:
Muni-WiFi market shakeout? ReportÃ‚Â
Earthlink drops out of SF WiFi deal Report

SPOTLIGHT: Cities need to drive muni-WiFi deployments

Wed, 24 Oct 2007 06:59:52 -0400

Cities need to start taking an interest in using the muni-WiFi services they hope to bring to their citizens if they have any chance of saving the waning muni-WiFi trend. Article

ALSO NOTED: DEA administrator joins Moto; AT&T's muni-WiFi plans; and much more...

Wed, 24 Oct 2007 06:59:50 -0400

> Alcatel-Lucent announced a $55 million CDMA/EV-DO Rev. A network deployment with Cellular South. Press release

> DEA administrator resigns and joins Motorola as an SVP. Article

> AT&T embraces muni-WiFi, kind of. Article

And Finally... Parrot imitates fire alarm, saves family. Article

SPOTLIGHT: Free WiFi isn't always easy to find

Wed, 26 Sep 2007 06:59:52 -0400

The ad-supported muni-WiFi business model is on life-support and several planned networks are in limbo. See this WSJ article. (sub. req.)

ALSO NOTED: Ericsson's HSPA; Analysts tough on Alcatel-Lucent; and much more...

Mon, 17 Sep 2007 06:59:50 -0400

> Philadelphia is conducting a hearing to discuss Earthlink's troubles and ability to construct a muni-WiFi network. Article

> Ericsson introduces HSPA platform for mass market. Article

> Analysts are tough on Alcatel-Lucent. Article

And Finally... TechCrunch claims that Apple will launch the iPhone in France on September 24 with Orange, and the handset will cost 300 Euros. Article

SPOTLIGHT: Report: EarthLink's head of muni-WiFi cut

Fri, 31 Aug 2007 06:59:52 -0400

According to a report in The Wall Street Journal, EarthLink's head of muni-WiFi projects, Don Berryman, is among the 900 employees EarthLink is laying off. Article (sub. req.)

EarthLink drops out of SF muni-WiFi deal

Thu, 30 Aug 2007 06:59:58 -0400

EarthLink's CEO Rolla Huff, who took the helm of the company in late June, told San Francisco's mayor Gavin Newsom that EarthLink was "not going to be able to fulfill their end of the bargain" for a municipal wireless deployment. The news comes just one day after Huff announced 900 jobsÃ‚Â will be cut and multiple offices closed across the country. Huff, however, asserted on a call with analysts late in the day yesterday that EarthLink was committed to its wireless businesses, including muni-WiFi and its MVNO Helio.

"Our core business has been diluted by new-business initiatives that were begun with good intentions but morphed into larger commitments," said Huff. "We are not exiting these growth initiatives; we're scaling back their cost structures to fit the startups that they in fact are."

That said, Huff noted, "We will not devote any new capital to the old model for muni-WiFi that has us taking all the risk. That model is simply unworkable."

Chicago announced yesterday that it was shelving its plans for a muni-WiFi network, which originally was to be built by EarthLink.

For more on EarthLink's decision to back out of SF:

- read this article from InformationWeek
- check out this article from the San Jose Mercury NewsÃ‚Â

Google WiFi's 1-year anniversary

Mon, 27 Aug 2007 06:59:55 -0400

Google's first municipal WiFi network, which covers Mountain View, the town Google's headquarters are located in, launched one year ago from last Friday. Google reported that the network now includes more than 400 mesh routers, covers about 12 square miles and 25,000 homes. It serves 15,000 unique users each month. Since the beginning of 2007, traffic on the network has increased by about 10 percent each month. The network also facilitates about 300 GB of data each day sent over some 100 distinct WiFi devices. Despite the self-proclaimed success of the network in Mountain View, the company is still waiting to hear the fate of its plan to offer the city of San Francisco a muni-WiFi network with EarthLink.

For more on Google's WiFi plans:
- read this blog post from the company

Related Articles:
Mountain View residents not satisfied with Google's WiFi. Article
Google and EarthLink combine RFP for SF WiFi. Article
Mayor Newsom takes SF WiFi to the voters. Article