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Citywide Wi-Fi Networks to Cover 126,000 Square Miles by 2010

7:05 am on March 17, 2006 | Category: Internet, Wi-Fi, Wireless Technology

A new report from ABI Research predicts that municipal Wi-Fi networks will cover a total of 126,000 miles2 (over 325,000 kilometers2) by the year 2010. This represents a huge increase over the 1,500 miles2 (3885 kilometers2) covered at the end of 2005.

Several major US cities, including San Francisco and Philadelphia currently have plans to construct municipal wireless networks. The trend is also being noticed in Canada, where public authorities are proposing a citywide network in Toronto, and Victoria, BC is allowing a private company to erect Wi-Fi antennas.

ABI says that the growth of municipal Wi-Fi is being driven by the huge benefits of wireless networks for the purposes of public safety and increased efficiency. Alternative ISPs are also doing their best to encourage the trend, in hopes of using the new networks as an inexpensive way to compete with incumbent service providers like Verizon and AT&T in the US, and Telus and Bell in Canada.

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