Jonathan proposes that we spend $4 billion (less than the one-week cost of the Iraq war) to set up a nationwide wireless Internet network (WiFi). Working families can’t afford the $600-a-year cost of a connection that is slower than what people get in Japan or South Korea.

The benefit to New Yorkers would be stunning. A national Wifi network would cut peoples’ costs by hundreds of dollars a year—the monthly cost would range from $10-$20 per person and could be collected in a variety of ways (either as a city fee or by the non-profit authority created to run the system); there could be discounts for senior citizens and students, subsidized by slightly higher fees for businesses. And those people stuck with dial-up service—because they can’t afford the high fees charged by broadband service providers—would immediately be upgraded to a faster connection.

Wifi should be thought of as a public service, just like gas, water, and electric—all of which our government has made sure are universally available. Our government must act to make sure that large corporations (who are trying to prevent city-wide wireless connections) don’t deny our communities a resource that would bring a host of benefits:

• Small businesses would improve their communication infrastructure, save money and became even more competitive with larger companies.
• Students would have round-the-clock access to information that can aid them in their academic pursuits.
• Money saved means more income to spend on other life necessities.
• Increased economic activity. After all, each community would, then, be more attractive for businesses looking for sophisticated telecommunications services.
• Safety: emergency services personnel would have a more reliable system of communication, allowing them to tap into critical information databases located far away from an accident or disaster location.

A quick definition: What is WiFi? It is a signal transmitted by tiny routers that can be placed on buildings, poles and other fixtures. The signal has a short range but, with a network of routers placed throughout a town or city, people could get a signal in their homes, apartments, streets, stores, community centers, and even in the New York City subway system.

To learn more, visit these links:

• Wireless Philadelphia
• The Wireless Internet Institute

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