How would YOU provide wireless to an entire city?

[massahwahl]

My humble little city is looking for a way to provide free internet access to the entire city. Our city roughly spans 19.8 square miles and would have an estimated 10,000 users on the citywide wifi service.

Our port authority is working on this project and obviously I have taken an interest in it as a media personality and as a computer enthusiast. Basically the PA is looking for ideas about how to accomplish this feet and what equipment would be required.

My idea that I shared is splitting the city up by neighborhoods and offering each neighborhood their own wifi service. I know some big neighborhoods already offer this service but how complicated would it be to setup and what sort of equipment would you use? I planned on putting together a little proposal to submit to them with some info about it.

Anyone have any ideas or live in a city that offer this service?

 

[bomberboysk]

I know in the downtown canton area i know there was talk of putting wifi... not sure what ever happened to that though. I would go for multiple 1watt omnidirectional repeaters, and have some sort of fiber internet connection for the amount of users. Or maybe multiple routers at 1W or so, maybe more so that the repeaters dont bog down a main router.

 

[Zatharus]

You may want to check with these folks: http://www.usiwireless.com/index.htm

They have setup (are still setting up to my knowledge) city-wide WiFi access for Minneapolis.

I have seen several different methods of doing this. Some involve proprietary microwave point-to-point transmissions or direct cable connections to each outlying area then branch off with high-powered routers. Some use high powered transceiver towers located around the city like cellular towers and then you get a directional dish and amplifier at your house to connect to your nearest tower.

 

[massahwahl]

Very cool ideas! I'm hoping that maybe I can get a hand in on this project so I will look into the links you guys suggested.

 

[Zatharus]

Very cool ideas! I'm hoping that maybe I can get a hand in on this project so I will look into the links you guys suggested.

Great! That sounds like fun. It is an ambitious project. I hope you don't run into too much opposition from local ISPs either. That is usually what kills public WiFi...aside from the setup/maintenance costs.