by KYW's Mike DeNardo
The citywide "Wi-Fi" project is officially a go.
Mayor Steet signed a bill on Thursday morning authorizing construction of a public wireless network throughout Philadelphia.
Construction is expected to begin next month to install transceivers that will provide wireless broadband Internet access to all 135 square miles of Philadelphia.
At a bill-signing ceremony in Norris Square Park, Mayor Street said Philadelphia wants to be the first American city to provide municipal Wi-Fi:
"People can be almost anyplace they want to be in order to conduct the business that they have to conduct."
That includes Frankford High School junior Charday Laverty, who doesn't have Internet access at home:
"Getting online and do whatever. I can sit in the park on a nice day like this and do whatever I want to do. So it'll be very, very helpful."
Prices are expected to be around $20 a month, or $9.95 for low-income users -- and free access in public areas like the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
Earthlink, the company installing the system, says it expects to have citywide service running by the fall of '07.
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