By Anni Chung
President & CEO, Self-Help for the Elderly

On March 20, 2007, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors will either approve or reject the Google-Earthlink WiFi contract which, when implemented (target completion date is end of 2007), will provide universal Internet access to all San Franciscans. The Board of Supervisors’ action to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on a feasibility study – and another $10-$20 million to build the network if the Supervisors should vote for the municipally-owned version in March – is not based on sound judgment and does not reflect the sentiments of the people who have spoken at the public hearings to date. Read more »

By Esme Vos
Founder, Muniwireless.com

The ink is barely dry on the contract between EarthLink and San Francisco, but the factions have already lined up on either side of the debate. In other cities it’s been the pro-muni broadband activists against the anti-muni broadband crowd (the telco and cable incumbents). In San Francisco, the opposition to the EarthLink plan comes from those who want the city to: (a) deploy a fiber network and (b) own the underlying infrastructure. I can see their point – having a fiber network guarantees high-speed Internet access and a city-owned infrastructure will prevent another cable-like monopoly from developing in San Francisco. But I will make the case for deploying the citywide Wi-Fi network now. Read more »