MetroFi, today announced the next phase of its free wireless coverage plan for the city of Portland. The second phase will be completed over the next four months, and will include the districts of Pearl, Old Town, Portland State University’s surrounding areas, Hosford-Abernethy, Richmond and Sunnyside, respectively.
The Portland network already covers the districts of Buckman, Kerns, Lloyd, Pioneer Courthouse Square and parts of downtown. By May 2007, more than 55,000 Portland residents and 10,000 businesses will be able to enjoy free wireless Internet via MetroFi’s Wi-Fi network in their local neighborhoods. Once all phases are completed by mid-2008, MetroFi’s WiFi network will cover about 95 percent of the city’s 134 square miles.
“Within the first month of MetroFi’s Portland launch in December 2006 and with just five percent of the City covered to-date, more than 3,000 registered users have enjoyed its free wireless broadband service spending 17,000 hours online”, says the press release.
“We are thrilled to see the excitement and active use of MetroFi’s Wi-Fi service, said Logan Kleier, the City’s project manager in the bureau of technology services. “This next phase will allow even more residents and visitors to benefit from free Internet access and keeps the City’s Unwire Portland initiative moving forward.”
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The Portland Tribune quotes Michael Weinberg of PersonalTelco and Stephouse.net. Stephouse also hosts DailyWireless (with good rates and reliable service) and offers WiMAX service in downtown Portland.
“Overall, I have not been terribly impressed with it,” said Weinberg, a longtime wireless user. He adds that “given the difficulty of connecting inside … and given the need for (the additional equipment) for many inside connections … that certainly makes ‘free’ much less ‘free.’ ”
MetroFi hopes to make money by selling 1-inch banner ads that appear on Web browsers on the free service. The $20/month service is ad-free. The Portland Wi-Fi network is modeled on wireless broadband networks that MetroFi built and operates in cities like Aurora, Ill., Foster City, Cupertino, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, San Jose and Concord, Calif.
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