New Client: The City of Osseo, MN City Council voted unanimously to deploy a city-wide WiFi network managed by Unplugged Cities and using RoamAD access points. To view the press release, click here.
Unplugged Cities, a Twin Cities owned and operated Internet services company, provides deployment and operations of citywide wireless broadband networks. This involves providing a wireless infrastructure under a public/private initiative that creates a ubiquitous 802.11 b(g) city-wide Hot Spot. This system provides mobile Internet access to city residents, businesses and, governmental agencies. The notes below outline a few of the available residential, business and governmental uses of the city-wide wireless network.
Municipal WiFi Network Testing
Unplugged Cities tests city-wide Wi-Fi networks for coverage, data characteristics, VoIP Jitter and MOS, and Video and Audio Streaming capabilities. UPC has performed a comprehensive test for a large Midwest city that helped that city make a service decision between 2 vendors.
The importance of Municipal WiFi network testing was recently featured on WiFiNetNews.com:
Based in the Twin Cities region of Minnesota, Unplugged Cities' most recent press has to do with their design of a network for St. Louis Park, an area suburb; the city just gave its go-ahead for the network, which will be municipally funded and owned. The design and operation of Wi-Fi networks is part of this firm's purview, although they have developed a measurement practice because of the obvious need for that sort of service. (In St. Louis Park, they are the local contractor for ARINC, a multinational firm that had the winning bid.)
Read the full story at: http://www.wifinetnews.com/archives/007124.html
Public Safety
The ability to download and view emergency information from police squad cars, fire engines, ambulances until now isn't available in a mobile environment. Migrating from current low-speed data connections to wireless broadband will enable mobile, in-car access to the Amber Alert sex offender database with full photo resolution, access to mug shots and lineups, as well as rapid access to automobile registry systems.
Mobile City Employees
Outside emergency services, building inspectors, water meter reading, parking monitoring, video surveillance for public safety, social workers and many more can take advantage of the efficiencies of a mobile environment.
City Building Connectivity
Many of the access points used to create a wireless network will be connected to the Internet through a fiber optic connection. City buildings will have the ability to be connected to the Internet through these fiber connections, thus providing high speed, reliable Internet connectivity.
Residential Benefits
The community as a whole benefits from the municipal wireless broadband network. City residents have the ability to become customers of the low-cost high-speed Internet service. This affordable service will help bridge the digital divide and bring broadband to city areas that are currently not served.
Business Benefits
Small businesses can become customers of the broadband network to provide their primary Internet connectivity. Larger businesses can utilize the network to provide an affordable redundant Internet connection.
