Boston Announces Wi-Fi Task Force
From Mass High Tech — Boston Mayor Thomas Menino today announced the formation of a Wi-Fi task force with the objective of making Boston "a world leader" in wireless. "Perhaps no form of technology is more exciting than Wi-Fi, which offers Internet access that is convenient and affordable," Menino said.
The task force will be made up of representatives from the business, academic and wireless communities, and will focus on exploring how the city can utilize its assets (like street lights and buildings) to create "an innovative wireless system that works for Boston," according to a press release. A report, including recommendations, is expected from the task force this summer.
As the Mass High Tech article notes, this isn't Boston's first attempt at this kind of effort — last summer, the city held a Wireless Summit aimed at developing a plan for citywide wireless, but nothing resulted from it. The real challenge for the new task force will be to make sure that failure isn't repeated — the kind of broad consensus required for citywide wireless isn't easy to obtain.
City of Boston press release is here.