The finalization of the deal hinged on a separate contract for access to light poles: I'm not sure why this wasn't reported earlier, but the first I heard about this utility pole arrangement being a gating factor is in this article in today's Philadelphia Inquirer. The agreements could be introduced to the city council for approval tomorrow. Details of the main contract for service have been only sketchily released. For instance, I found out a few weeks ago--and had confirmed by city CIO Dianah Neff--that a 15-square-mile pilot network has to be built by EarthLink and tested through early users and independent evaluation before the full network is built. This is a prudent step.
Glenn,
Why should you be surprised? As you said - details on this deal, which is the highest-profile muni wireless project in the country and therefore carries the hopes of other cities' wireless goals, have been few and far between. Now that the contract has been agreed to in principle, we're hearing that a pilot project is in order even though the City trumped a pilot project in Love Park over a year ago.
I keep getting the feeling that this project is never going to reach its stated goal of creating a low-cost alternative for low-income residents. Unless, of course, the pilot project will take place in low-income neighborhoods.
Details on the deal are now released; see a post from later today than this one.
I'm not surprised at the test network, but rather that I didn't hear about it until recently. The Love Park project wasn't a "pilot" network--it was an outdoor test of Wi-Fi access. The real pilot network will cover 15 square miles. Dianah Neff told me it will cross economic boundaries, housing types (towers and single-family), business districts, and so forth. Lots of parameters will be tested, as the service must function (with a bridge) indoors as well as outdoors.