Philly may go wireless

WIRELESS, page 1 cost of the open-air wireless project between $7 and $10 million, and according to Neff it would cost an additional $1.5 million a year for system maintenance.

John McIntyre, director of ITR, agrees that a free and vast high-speed wireless network would be a promising progression for the city, but is concerned about cost and security issues.

“The cost has been misrepresented in early releases,” McIntyre said. “The projected $7 to $10 million is misleading, and it doesn’t include on-going maintenance, upgrades, or a help desk. Ahelp desk could end up costing $5 million alone, if the city can support it.”

McIntyre wonders what will happen if a mass of users attempts to log-in at the same time, in the same place. “If 20,000 people try to log-in at the same time, people will get bumped off,” he said. “It isn’t possible with the current technology to funnel that much data through such narrow pipes.”

Network security issues concern McIntyre. To provide popular Internet features like Instant Messenger, a tool of two-way communication, the network would have to involve open radio waves. According to McIntyre, two-way open radio waves could be vulnerable over a free and vast wireless network.

McIntyre believes technology will continue to improve each year, with regular upgrades to enhance network efficiency. In a few years, “wireless will be as robust as wired high-speed Internet is now,” he said. “This can probably be done. Cost concerns me, but maybe that doesn’t matter. Being first matters –it really does.”