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Kite happy with response to Longmont network

By Trevor Hughes
The Daily Times-Call

Publish Date: 5/16/2007

LONGMONT — The city’s three animal control officers have begun using the citywide wireless Internet network to check pet registrations online as a test of how the system may help municipal government work more efficiently.

The wireless network, built by the private company Kite Networks last fall and winter, permits customers to access the Internet wirelessly, instead of using a phone line, cable network or DSL connection.

Kite says it has had “thousands” of paying customers since it launched Feb. 20, but a company official said federal regulations bar him from releasing actual numbers.

“We are well exceeding our expectations and our business model,” said David McIntosh Jr., the company’s vice president of business development. “We can tell nationally this has been the fastest network deployed in the country.”

McIntosh acknowledged that there are still some parts of the city lacking access to the network, which he attributed to a lack of access points in neighborhoods with decorative lamp posts. He said Kite has gotten 585 of 675 transmitters installed and will be working over the next few months to set up the remainder.

McIntosh said other cities across the country are approaching his company to seek a similar network, and he’s telling them they may have to wait up to a year before they can even begin discussions.

Longmont did not pay any money to built the network but is planning to become a major user of the system. City officials have visions of linking police cars to vehicle-registration databases, providing links to up-to-date street and development maps on fire trucks and even controlling traffic lights. Longmont is one of only a handful of cities nationally that have a wireless network up and running, although many others are seeking them.

In addition to using the system to connect to the pet-registration database, the city police department is also experimenting with wireless video cameras, said city chief information officer Jim Wall. He said he’s working with consultants to create a security system that will allow city workers to access the city’s secure computer network over the wireless network.

Kite competes with Qwest and Comcast to provide Internet access to city residents

http://www.longmontfyi.com/print.asp?ID=16378