[CUWiN] Verizon, Philly settle WiFi fight; PA governor signs bill banning municipal WiFi

[Paul Zawada]

Verizon, Philly settle WiFi fight; PA governor signs bill banning municipal WiFi

Verizon Communications yesterday reached an agreement with the city of
Philadelphia that will let the city move forward with its plans for a
citywide wide area WiFi network. While specific details about the deal
have not been released, Verizon agreed to waive its rights under the
new legislation to bar Philadelphia from providing WiFi service for
free or at a low-cost.

As for the bill in question, Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell
yesterday signed it into law. This hotly contested new law will make
it illegal for municipalities to offer their constituents wireless or
landline
broadband service without first getting the permission of broadband
service providers. Without that permission, carriers can block any
effort to build a municipal network in the commonwealth. Thanks to its
agreement with Verizon, Philadelphia will be exempt from this
stipulation. Most insiders claim the law will effectively end the
municipal WiFi effort in the rest of Pennsylvania, making it almost
impossible for other cities to negotiate a reasonable rate for
offering free or low-cost broadband wireless.

For more on Verizon's settlement with Philadelphia and the PA law in
question:
- read this report
<http://lists.fiercemarkets.com/c.html?rtr=on&s=69l,9uiw,8mg,61u0,7wdk,emgc,ew20>
 from AP

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