Save Philadelphia Wireless: eff the business model

Philly.com reports that the very, very dope Media Mobilizing Project (also on Myspace) is calling on Philadelphia mayor Nutter to save the system. Read Call campaign seeks to save Wireless Philadelphia. I agree, whole heartedly.  And I am calling tomorrow, even though tomorrow is Thursday.

Philly Independent Media Center has the story….ummm why did Philly.com report on the story yet fail to provide the call-in number?  Was it to not upset Comcast and Verizon and their advertising dollars?

Read Save Philly WiFi: Call Mayor Nutter Wednesday and call (215) 686-3000 or (215) 686-2250

This Nutter quote has been making the rounds since the story of Earthlink closing up shop dropped:  a ”wonderful idea, bad business model”.

I fully agree the business model is poor.  But that isn’t the point.  Or is it?  Throughout this revived discussion, the origins of the wireless plan are being ignored.  As I remember it, the municipal wireless system was intended to be a ‘free’ (payed for by taxes) public service available to all.  Cities around the country got excited about the project and were waiting to see what would happen.  Comcast, Verizon, and other telecom companies started to complain and threaten to try to hold up the project in legal tape.  The plan then morphed from a public good to a business and the contract was bid out, with Earthlink winning.  Low-income residents were to receive the service at low or no charge.  Other users would get the service for a higher price (but one still very competitive with the offerings from the large competitors. Various city departments and services were supposed to benefit from the wireless network as well.  That’s how I remember the history.  Any one out there remember differently?  If time permits, I’ll try to back track and really fill this out with citations.

Finish the system.  Keep it going.  Spend what it costs to maintain it.  This should be a true municipal wireless system, owned by the people, for the people.  We got the infrastructure out of the deal.  Now lets make FREE WIRELESS in the city real.

And Mayor Nutter, don’t make this another one of your grudges.  We see you killing every single initiative, budget item, contract, etc started by Mayor Street.  Some of the actions you’ve taken in that regard I’ve agreed with.  Slowing up on the casinos and trying to reform the city planning process, as examples.  But this here is something we should all benefit from.  This is worth funding.  This is worth fighting for.  Information is power and access to information should be democratized and held as a public benefit.

Pull-quote from the Philly IMC story:  

The need for digital inclusion is growing exponentially. Today, it is nearly impossible to register for a university course or even check a train schedule without Internet access. Local residents routinely wait two hours at the Free Library for a 30-minute session on the Web. Even as Mayor Nutter is prepared to walk away from the WiFi network, his administration committed to making government services available on-line. The Philadelphia Police Department already offers downloadable reports, and the Department of Licenses & Inspections website encourages users to download building permit applications. Residents can even notify the Streets Department about potholes via a hyperlink on that agency’s website. 

“But without access to the Internet, Philadelphians are blocked from taking advantage of any of these services,” says Gwen Shaffer, a doctoral student whose research focuses on broadband policy. “The Nutter administration says it values public participation in the political process. But residents need affordable Internet access in order to be engaged in civic life.” 

And shiiiiiiiiiiiiiit (c) Clay Davis, Isiah Whitlock, Jr., The Wire), part of giving Comcast that phony empowerment zone tax exemption (remember, their new Center City building was not in an empowerment zone) should’ve been a demand of hands off our municipal wireless system.  

Respect to the Media Mobilizing Project, featured as the City Paper (March 11, 2008) cover story.  Read The Revolution Will Be Digitized