[opendtv] Two cablecos offer city Wi-Fi, but not for free

From: "Manfredi, Albert E" <albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: "opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Fri, 17 Sep 2010 15:13:37 -0500
http://www.rethink-wireless.com/2010/09/16/two-cablecos-offer-city-wi-fi-free.htm

Two cablecos offer city Wi-Fi, but not for free
Time Warner and Cablevision invest $10m in New York WLans as license condition
By CAROLINE GABRIEL

Published: 16 September, 2010

How municipal Wi-Fi has changed in the US. Remember the years when cities were 
planning to set up free networks, under heavy fire from broadband providers? 
Now New York is being rather more cooperative with operators, getting cablecos 
Time Warner and Cablevision to provide free Wi-Fi services as a condition of 
renewing their TV franchises. But so carrier friendly has the city become, that 
it will allow them to charge for access after just a 10-minute free session.

This has upset universal broadband campaigners, especially as telcos and 
cablecos increasingly invest in Wi-Fi anyway, since they can enhance their 
customer offerings with the inclusion of wireless hotspot access. So 
Cablevision - which has been one of the most successful users of Wi-Fi to add a 
wireless element to its strategy - and Time Warner could score twice from their 
$10m spend on Wi-Fi networks in 32 New York area parks.

These WLans can be used for free, but only for up to three sessions per month, 
of just 10 minutes each. After that, there will be a charge (admittedly only 99 
cents a day). Perhaps more importantly, given the prevalence of free Wi-Fi in 
major metro centers like New York City, the two cablecos will also have to 
spend more than $30m on upgrading the city's communications infrastructure in 
return for renewing their 10-year licenses. They will increase the number of 
PEG (public educational and government) channels on their networks from nine to 
17. Time Warner will set up 40 community broadband access centers in local 
neighborhoods, and Cablevision will set up media centers in certain schools.

"There should be totally free wireless in the parks," City councillor Gale 
Brewer told The New York Daily News, as well as asking the pertinent question: 
"How will they track people's use and charge everyone?"

Cablevision has made public Wi-Fi a centerpiece of its competitive positioning 
against other broadband and quad play providers. While most of the major 
cablecos are relying on MVNOs with Clearwire and Sprint for their wireless 
services, and Cox plans to build a 3G/LTE network of its own, Cablevision has 
taken a faster route to market by building out Wi-Fi zones across most of its 
New York and Long Island territories, offering various service bundles and free 
access for its customers. Its three-year plan ends around the middle of next 
year and will have cost about $300m in total, including indoor deployments at 
public venues like Madison Square Garden and Long Island's MacArthur Airport.
 
 
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[opendtv] Two cablecos offer city Wi-Fi, but not for free

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