Comments on: Press Release: Wireless Toronto response to Toronto Hydro WiFi plans

By: Patrick Dinnen

Patrick Dinnen — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 06:42:41 +0000

The press launch for the first phase of the Toronto Hydro Telecom wireless service is scheduled for today (Wednesday 6th) so I would expect to see details coming out soon after that.

By: Fred

Fred — Tue, 05 Sep 2006 14:35:14 +0000

I understood this was to be up and running this week (Sep 7 or 9). Does anyone know how/whether one registers for this? I checked the Toronto Hydro web site and see nothing.

By: The WT Blog » Blog Archive » What Really Matters?

The WT Blog » Blog Archive » What Really Matters? — Fri, 10 Mar 2006 19:44:39 +0000

[...] The approach taken by D.C.’s mayor underlines the potential of a city-wide mesh. That is, leveraging the lower-cost of wireless networking technology to meet the needs of underserved individuals, communities, and small businesses. The D.C. plan demonstrates foresight, and while not entirely replicable in Toronto, is an admirable example of innovative leadership. Toronto Hydro’s plan to blanket the city in a wireless mesh is an important opportunity for the City to ensure that the information and communication needs of all its citizens are met equitably and efficiently. As we’ve already emphasized, the first step toward accomplishing this must be a process of public consultation that engages a variety of stakeholders. [...]

By: Andrew Kilpatrick

Andrew Kilpatrick — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 23:32:38 +0000

I read the press release from Toronto Hydro, and it seems like a very good, although ambitious plan. But I’m concerned when they state that after the 6 month free trial the service will be offered at “competitive rates”. If competitive is the sort of fees other providers are charging, then we’re just going to end up with a Hotspot style network, but it will be too expensive from everywhere, not just from inside a cafe.

There is nothing wrong (imho) with using a commercial band to provide a fee-based service such as GPRS or EVDO. But when unlicenced bands are used for commercial service, that really is nasty because these are the only bands that ordinary people have access to.

If in exchange for allowing large-scale services like this, more bands open up for use by unlicenced services, then that’s fine. Or if these services are offered for free, or for a very low cost, then that would also be fine. But I’m tired of price gouging for services that really are very inexpensive to set up and operate.

By: Wireless Toronto welcomes news of Toronto Hydro WiFi Plan, hopes for Public Consultation at Wireless Community

Wed, 08 Mar 2006 17:37:29 +0000

[...] Gabe Sawney and the rest of the Wireless Toronto Community Wireless Group, have put out a response to Toronto Hydro’s Municipal Wireless plan: [...]