The coffee-chain up start Country Style, at 2323 Yonge (small block north of Eglinton), is advertising free wifi. Anyone tried it? And anyone tried the coffee?
Country Style with free WI-FI
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Toronto Reference Library gets free wifi
It’s not one of our hotspots, but it’s great to hear that the Toronto Public Library is finally getting into wifi. Found via Shawn at Spacing wire (with a bonus nod to Wireless Toronto).
…laptops get lonely when they can’t connect to anything, and sometimes books just aren’t enough.
There are little signs around the library directing people to the 1st and 2nd floor to connect, but I’m on the 4th floor now and my Powerbook is picking up a usable signal.
…Best part of the TRL wifi is all you do is hook up, check a box that says you agree to terms and conditions, and that’s it, you’re on.
Wireless Parks and a Beach (!) in NYC
Looks like more NYC parks (and one beach) are going wireless. NYCwireless is the community wireless group that started it all with free wi-fi Bryant Park (2002) and more recently, Brooklyn Bridge Park. Now, as this NYT article describes, 18 more parks are set to be “lit up” by end of month. The “hot spots” will be ready to go by the end of next month at Battery, Central and Riverside Parks in Manhattan; Prospect Park in Brooklyn, the Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens, and Pelham Bay and Van Cortlandt Parks and Orchard Beach in the Bronx. A beach!
This rollout is also free, but is commercially-driven, as Wi-Fi Salon’s partnership with Nokia and $90K contract agreement with the City indicates:
Wi-Fi Salon, a small company started by an Upper East Side entrepreneur, Marshall W. Brown, won the three-year contract in October 2004, agreeing to make quarterly payments of $7,500 — totaling $90,000 over three years — or 10 percent of gross receipts from advertising and other sources, whichever is greater.
It looks like the “location-specific portal” is part of the plan here too – albeit with a clear focus on paid advertising over (free) user-generated content or community events and information:
 At each hot spot, users will encounter an initial Web portal with information about the park and local history and advertisements for Nokia and other sponsors, which could include retail kiosks that do business in the parks.
Interesting variation on the non-profit model that has already been pretty darn effective here in Toronto and other cities (Montreal, NYC, Seattle, Austin).¬â€
Actually, the description of the lag in providing wireless on the part of NYC Parks sounds very familiar to Toronto’s situation:
The parks department’s own effort, covering some of the city’s largest and most heavily used parks, began around the same time but has proceeded in fits and starts. Verizon Communications initially won the contract in April 2004, only to withdraw a month later after concluding that the venture would not be cost-effective.
Despite an obvious advantage of offering free wi-fi in Toronto’s public parks and community spaces, the City has yet to launch any public access points of their own either. (But that’s ok, we’re doing our best to make up for this! 🙂
But efforts like this one in NYC might help overcome reticence at the City (of Toronto).
I just hope Toronto would consider a non-commercial model of provision – we’re already subject to so much advertising in our daily urban lives, parks and beaches are one place where it’d be nice to (physically and virtually) be granted a reprieve.¬â€
Indeed, it is arguable whether ad-supported wireless networks are even a cost-effective (let alone civic/responsible) way to go. This is something Anthony blogged about (and that I reblogged) a few months ago.
But the one thing that really piqued my interest about this was the BEACH. !!! This is something I hadn’t considered before… This opens up a whole new realm of desired wireless zones in Toronto – Centre Island, Sunnyside, Ashbridges Bay – especially in the summer, free wi-fi in these places would be great for us Torontonians and out-of-towners alike!
Wireless in Winnipeg
An interesting article in today’s G+M, talking about a project in Winnipeg that levers the (relatively) low-cost of wireless internet access and the experience and reach of some local community groups.
Closing the digital divide in Winnipeg
WINNIPEG — One of Winnipeg’s poorest neighbourhoods is poised to become the city’s only high-tech wireless Internet corridor, offering free access to low-income people.Currently, there are hot spots associated with businesses throughout the city, but no neighbourhoods have joined the trend towards wireless Internet access.Point Douglas is on its way to becoming the first.
“The Point Douglas area is one of the lowest-income areas in the city,” said Rhonda McCorriston, Neeginan Institute of Applied Technology education director.
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The Aboriginal Centre of Winnipeg has already installed a wireless antenna on its building with the help of Smart Partners of Manitoba and the Computer Lending Library.
Smart Partners of Manitoba, a non-profit group that focuses on giving low-income people access to computer and Internet technology, plans to loan out 1,000 computers.
It’s really refreshing to see a partnership that seems to understand that narrowing the digital divide (nobody’s favorite phrase, but what can you do…) entails more than just “getting online”. That is, it’s also about providing access to hardware, support for online learning and use, and ensuring that programs are shaped to anticipate and address the specific needs of the community it serves.
WT on Command-N and ChickenTest
Between the 1-Year Anniversary party and the Dufferin Grove Launch, things have been busy (but fun!) around here.  For those of you who missed out, here are a few links:
Command-N. Their latest episode was shot at our 1 Year Anniversary party, and Patrick gives a (very) brief overview of what WT does at the beginning of the show.
TheChickenTest.com. Besides the gorgeous weather we had for the Dufferin Grove launch, one of the best things about the event was getting to relax and chat with all the people who dropped by. Of course, one of the most interesting visitors we had was W.R., who brings us this very entertaining clip.¬â€
Enjoy!
National Summit for Community Wireless Networking
March 31-April 2, 2006, the Champaign-Urbana Community Wireless Network (CUWiN), Free Press, and Mid-Rivers Community Wireless Network hosted the Second National Summit for Community Wireless Networks at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, MO.
Even though the title of the conference says “National” (aka American), there was a strong Canadian presence at the summit. In addition to the 3 Wireless Toronto attendees (Gabe, Dory, myself), a group of 5 came from Montreal’s Ile Sans Fil, to deliver an outstanding panel, ?éle Sans Fil, and Hacking Your City:
“An 80 minute discussion of how community wireless networks can be a way to make an impact in your community on matters of social cohesion, art, culture, and civic information. Following, a 40 minute explanation and Q+A on WifiDog–a captive portal designed for these uses.”
The conference was an amazing opportunity to meet other community wireless and muni-wireless enthusiasts, and engage with policymakers, industry reps, and implementers. Over 200 people attended, and came from as far as Belgrade, Ghana, Santiago, Calcutta, and Berlin to share their experiences, discuss challenges and consider opportunities.
For anyone interested in reading up on the summit, fellow Canadian Lisa Yeo (Edmonton) has excellent notes from the summit on her blog. Of course, there is also the always excellent blog maintained by the Summit founder/director, Sascha Meinrath (CUWiN).
Toronto’s Citywide Wi-Fi Plan Full of Promise and Holes
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!
Back in the News
After the initial media frenzy over Toronto Hydro’s WiFi announcement, there was a noticeable lull. Well, after almost a week of inactivity in the major media outlets, I came across this Globe and Mail update. Deveau’s “throwdown” briefly compares (coverage, installation costs, and pricing) Toronto Hydro’s proposed network with ones in Philadelphia, New Brunswick, and Tempe (AZ).
Now, I’m glad to see this back in the news, because there are many questions I would like to see addressed (i.e. what, if any, consideration will be given to underserved communities, businesses, and individuals? what is the role of the City in THT’s plan?)
But what puzzled me about this G+M article was why Ottawa wasn’t included. Given Dobbins’ previous tenure as Telecom Ottawa’s head, it seems logical to consider how they’ve set up pricing and who they’re partnered with, for some insight into how Toronto Hydro Telecom’s own network will unfold. For example, it looks like Telecom Ottawa, Fibretech, Hydro One Telecom, SCBN, Toronto Hydro Telecom, Enersource Telecom, Fibrewired and other Utelcos are all part of a “regional partnership”.
For that matter, I’m also puzzled by the lack of attention being given to the implications of these partnerships. Also (curiously) absent from any coverage of this plan is mention of UTC Canada, “a trade association focused on addressing the critical telecommunications issues for utilities and energy companies in Canada and the providers of telecommunications infrastructure or information technology services.”
It seems this would make for an interesting line of inquiry and discussion, more so than whether or not Wi-Fi poses any health risks.
Social Implications of Ubiquitous Wi-Fi
an interesting BBC News article discusses a few of the social implications of ubiquitous Wi-Fi.
Wi-fi set to re-wire social rules
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By Mark Ward
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For some time, many cafes, libraries, shops, stations, airports and restaurants have been installing wi-fi access points so customers can surf the web as they eat, browse or wait.
Dr Jo Twist, senior research fellow at the Institute for Public Policy Research, said once the net was ubiquitous like power and water, it had the potential to be “transformative”. The divide that separates people from their online lives will utterly disappear. Instead of leaving behind all those net-based friends and activities when you walk out of your front door, you will be able to take them with you.
“A ubiquitous, cheap or free wireless network…could help encourage innovative uses of that network which enliven our public spaces as well as our networks with each other,” said Dr. Twist.
The article echoes the “Cyberspace is Dead” sentiment, and prompts us to consider some of the social and cultural possibilities of ubiquitous access.