Chicago free Wi-Fi locations (via Google)
Fast reliable internet can cost upwards of $100 a month. For modern students, residents, and businesses, it is a necessity, but often enough the price is unaffordable. For this reason, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced an ambitious new project for the city of Chicago called the Chicago Broadband Challenge that is looking to redo the city’s broadband infrastructure, provide affordable internet to all areas while providing free wi-fi in public parks and spaces.
The Windy City is currently revamping its water and sewage systems and Google’s Eric Schmit suggested this would be a good opportunity to do the same with the city’s digital infrastructure. Rahm heard the message and has now released a Request for Information (RFI) to private businesses, non-profits, universities, students or any other organization that is willing to lend a hand in completing this challenge.
The city is calling for help to meet three goals. The first will be to provide gigabit-class fiber optic internet to 15 areas that have been determined as innovation zones, where new businesses are popping up. Meeting this goal will also mean that eventually, all businesses, beyond the innovation zones, will have access to the new high-speed network.
The second goal is to extend this network to underprivileged and underserved areas of the city while working with groups like the Smart Chicago Collaborative in creating training programs to teach residents about the in-and-outs of wireless internet in order to optimize its use.
Lastly, the city wants to offer free wi-fi in all parks and public spaces. The city of Chicago has already started offering free wi-fi in Millenium Park with the help of the company SilverIP. A similar goal was proposed by Chicago’s previous mayor, Richard Daley, but it was shut down in 2007.
The city wants private businesses that will fund and install these networks. Chicago is willing to offer cheap leases on existing infrastructure that will facilitate this process. For example, access to dark fiber already installed in the Chicago Transit Authority’s subway tunnels and elevated train tracks and other utilities.
Although Google Fiber comes to mind, the City has not announced any such collaboration between Chicago and Google. The city is welcoming any organization or individual that wishes to help, either informally through the website, www.cityofchicago.org/broadband, or by responding to the RFI. Emanuel suspects that most of the work will be done by up and coming entrepreneurial businesses.
Mayor Emanuel and supporters of the project also emphasize that this project will create jobs and help the city’s economy directly and indirectly. They also look forward to making this project customizable to Chicago residents. John Tolva, Chief Officer for the City of Chicago said, “By asking for public input and using it to design the best possible system, we’ll insure that Chicago’s broadband infrastructure is not only the fastest in the country, but the best suited to create jobs and drive our economy forward in the 21st century.”
Cabe