Mobilepro Corp (fka MOBL)

[WilliamFL]

Yuma Wonders Where Its Wi-Fi’s Got To
By Glenn Fleishman

The city of Yuma, Arizona, has no Wi-Fi network nor a timetable: The Yuma Sun writes about the dark underbelly of private-public partnerships. While Yuma awarded MobilePro’s NeoReach division the rights to build a network, the city doesn’t have much hands-on power over when and how its built. A newly acquired distinct division of MobilePro, Kite, is in charge of the Yuma build-out and didn’t return the reporter’s calls. A local Yuma partner that was brokered into the deal to handle network installation hasn’t heard much from Kite, either. He’s sitting with a warehouse full of gear.

http://www.wifinetnews.com/


When will Wi-Fi fly in Yuma?
BY JEFFREY GAUTREAUX, SUN STAFF WRITER
Dec 16, 2006, 11:14 pm

IN BRIEF:
THE ORIGINAL PLAN: Installation of a citywide wireless Internet network was expected to be in full swing by now.

THE ISSUE: City officials say the installation is in a private company's hands, leaving the city at the mercy of its schedule. "We have been pushing them and asking them and bugging them," said Greg Wilkinson, the city’s assistant information technology services director.

WHAT'S NEXT: Although there is no formal schedule, city officials say installation may begin in February or March, and installation is expected to take at least one month.


CONTINUING COVERAGE

Installation of a citywide wireless Internet network was expected to be in full swing by now, but you won't find wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) equipment in place anywhere in the city.

NeoReach, a Tempe Wi-Fi firm, was chosen by the Yuma City Council earlier this year to work with local broadband provider Beamspeed, 2481 E. Palo Verde St., to build the network to be completed by the spring. But that isn't going to happen — and when the system will be a reality is unclear.

"We have been pushing them and asking them and bugging them," said Greg Wilkinson, the city’s assistant information technology services director. "But the key is this is a private company. It's their deal, it's their money, it's their everything."

Wilkinson said there is no formal schedule, but he believes installation will begin in February or March. Installation is expected to take at least one month. MobilePro, the parent company that owns NeoReach, has purchased another subsidiary, Kite Networks, that Wilkinson said is now overseeing the Yuma project.

The private network will be available to consumers for a fee. As part of the agreement, the city pays for the electricity for the system and receives 2,000 licenses so employees can use the system for city business.

Electronic equipment owners will be able to surf the Internet as long the equipment is Wi-Fi capable, or if a device is purchased to accommodate the wireless system.

Repeated messages left with Alan Crancer, who handles media relations for Kite, were not returned. A message left with a Kite employee working locally was also not returned.

Phil Merrill, co-owner of Beamspeed, doesn't know when work might start and has had his own difficulty in contacting Kite. He said his firm has received the Wi-Fi equipment from Cisco Systems and has stored these items in its warehouse.

"We're just a repository for equipment until they tell us to install it," he said.

Four hundred to 500 access points, which are small boxes with antennas, will be installed on infrastructure, mostly light poles, across the city's most populous 25 square miles to operate the network. Some will be installed on private buildings, and Kite is negotiating those agreements.

The placement of the points is not yet fully decided. "We have a concept design, but not a real design yet," Wilkinson said.

The city wants the network in place as soon as possible because it can be used to time the city's stoplights, streamline the automated utility meter reading program and improve data delivery to computers in police and fire department vehicles. The city could also replace many of its employees' cellular phones with phones that communicate via the Internet at decreased or no cost.

Public safety communication, such as 911 calls, will not use the Wi-Fi network.

Wilkinson said the proposed costs to subscribe to the Wi-Fi network remain at $3.95 per hour, $7.95 per day, $19.95 per week or $29.95 per month.

The city will offer four areas it calls "drinking fountains," where people can use two hours of free Wi-Fi every day at the Ray Kroc Memorial Baseball Complex, Yuma Civic Center, Smucker Park, West Wetlands Park and downtown. The city’s Web site will be accessible at all times for free to anyone with a Wi-Fi-capable device.

WAZMetro is the brand name of the various municipal networks owned and operated by Kite. The yuma.wazmetro.com Web site is operational but only basic information is available.

Jeffrey Gautreaux can be reached at [e-mail] or 539-6858.
http://sun.yumasun.com/artman/publish/articles/story_28746.php