[Mpls] Update on the future of wireless internet in Minneapolis

[Sheldon Mains]

Jumping into this discussion late--

I'm guessing that the wireless Internet service RFP will result in
Minneapolis granting a franchise to a company or group of companies to
provide the service and use city right-of-way to do so.  The franchise
could include any number of provisions (price caps, security requirements,
aesthetic considerations--how ugly the transmitters can be, free workshops
for residents). It will also likely include a franchise fee (basically rent
to use the public right-of-way for a commercial purpose).

I just hope that this goes better that the cable TV franchise wars of 20
years ago.  After getting some very good public benefits written into the
franchise, the cable company (Rogers Cable at that time) came back with a
sob story--"our marketing projections were wrong, we can not afford what we
agreed to"--and the city backed down/caved in.  Minneapolis lost a lot of
the potential benefit.

This city initiative deserves the attention of all of us.

.................................
Sheldon Mains
Seward Neighborhood, Minneapolis, Minnesota