Liam Lahey’s article provides a thoughtful perspective to the Toronto Hydro plan, calling the picture available “cloudy at best”. He points our attention to some important gaps as to the scope, scale and rollout.
For example, he asks:
-will the network use Wi-Fi or WiMAX standard or both?
-how many city blocks will the future citywide Wi-Fi network would actually cover? Specifically, will it be the entire downtown core or specific streets?
Lahey’s article considers some of the pros and cons of a municipal wireless network.
He quotes Doug Cooper, country manager, Intel of Canada:
“Many cities are taking advantage of the Internet to deliver services more efficiently and cheaply…Imagine city repair workers being able to call up an underground water and sewer map and schematics where ever and whenever they need to. Or in the not too distant future, a city ambulance recalling patient records for an auto accident victim,” Cooper said. “Why wait until you get to the hospital to learn the victim is allergic to penicillin or some other medication? Wireless networks will change the speed and efficiency of information access.”
Warren Shiau, senior IT analyst with the Toronto-based Strategic Counsel, adds
“Free or negligible cost Wi-Fi would help speed the commoditization of consumer computing, which is already well under way, Shiau cites Dell desktops currently on sale with 2.5GHz chips for $349.”
Still, Shiau emphasizes,
“There’s always lots of talk about how blanket municipal Wi-Fi will make Internet access ubiquitous, help lower income families, promote business, etc., but the reality is it won’t be ubiquitous unless it’s free or of negligible cost.”
Overall, a really useful consideration of what the implications of this Wi-Fi network are. There are clearly some very significant economic and social opportunities for the Toronto Hydro network to change the way Toronto delivers services and meets the needs of its citizens. This makes me look forward to hearing more details from Toronto Hydro Telecom in the coming months!