Of wireless wonderlands and city politics

 

It is disappointing to see Chicago and San Francisco's municipal wireless initiatives falter, because the biggest losers in that delay are the citizens who are disconnected from the digital economy. This summer, Chicago unveiled, to great fanfare, a digital inclusion initiative backed by Mayor Daly, which was to serve as a national model for integrating the disenfranchised into a connected society--a society that increasingly depends on high-speed Internet access to accomplish even the most basic tasks. Indeed, many government services are now being offered online, including everything from paying traffic tickets to accessing financial resources from social services. Wireless access to network resources is a critical component of efforts to improve outreach and to serve those most in need. San Francisco, similarly, has turned muni WiFi into a political game of football, pitting city legislators against a popular mayor. Whatever the merits of the arguments on any side of the negotiating table, the big losers will be the citizens of these great cities.

I hope you have a great labor Day. I'm going to the beach and FierceMarkets is closed, so look for your regular issue of FierceCIO on Tuesday instead of Monday. Enjoy your time off. -Patty