Grand Rapids has been taking it slow, but has an RFP: The city invited a number of bidders to create test networks almost a year ago in order to see what (and who) works well for them. They've issued an RFP based on these test networks for citywide service. The city wants the equivalent of a franchise fee for providing access to "City buildings, water tanks and cellular towers, parking ramps, street and traffic lights as well as other city-owned facilities including use of the City’s Network operations center, dark fiber, and the underground conduit system." They also enshrine network neutrality in the RFP.

The many tentacles of Tempe stretch south: MobilePro's NeoReach division has unwired much of Tempe, Arizona, as part of a municipally requested network, and will now put Wi-Fi across adjacent Chandler, too. This will create a 110-square-mile contiguous network sharing some equipment for what the company suggests and I would agree is the largest domestic service deployment to date. It will be outstripped by Philadelphia and other cities, but not for many months. (The Philadelphia contract will be signed next month and require citywide access by spring 2007.)

Suffolk County will blanket the region with Wi-Fi: 900 square miles would be covered, but there's no plan yet, just intent. Verizon suggests the public will be disinterested and costs will be higher than expected. Yawn.

Manchester's airport gets T-Mobile service: It'll cost you.