Chicago issued a draft RFP for citywide WiFi, and it doesn't want to invest any money in the project. But, like all cities, it can offer up access to the light pole and electricity infrastructure to a private partner. The winning bidder will have to agree to keep access rates low; bridge the digital divide by offering access to the city's poorest areas; provide free access to schools, public parks and other similar hotspots; and fund digital inclusion projects to make computers affordable to low-income residents.
For more about Chicago's WiFi RFP:
- read this article from AFP
- read this report from Wi-Fi Net News