Is WiFi the next big thing for cities, or a boondoggle? An Associated Press writer was not impressed with MetroFi’s free service in Portland, Oregon:
My first attempt to connect was at Pioneer Courthouse Square, a wide-open space at the center of Portland’s downtown where the service debuted in December.
Despite a strong signal, it took me several minutes to make a connection. Once it did, my Web browser — Internet Explorer 7 — loaded the MetroFi welcome page without pause. And the sign-in process was easy. It even included an understandable outline of privacy issues.
But when I tried to send my login information to begin browsing, I couldn’t. After 10 minutes of fruitless attempts, I gave up and instead latched onto another free network’s signal with ease.
At several stops within MetroFi’s general service area, my computer regularly detected the network and showed a strong signal, but I was unable to log on.
Experts say the signal MetroFi sends out is strong, but the access points’ ability to receive the information back from users with basic equipment is limited.
“It’s like someone standing on stage with a microphone and someone in the audience whispering back,” said Russell Senior, one of the wireless advocates who did the alternate test of the system.
When I tried standing directly below a transmitter affixed to a street sign, I was able to connect for the first time. Pleased with my connection at the street corner, I tried one more possibly favorable location. I headed up — way up — to avoid any possible interference.
From the top of a Ferris wheel, the signal was fantastic: I briefly considered telecommuting from there, hovering above Portland. The Ferris wheel fun aside, the overall experience was frustrating.
MetroFi has said it will continue to work out bugs as it completes its rollout. And the company said it has reached 11,200 monthly users in May, up 40 percent from the month before. So it seems to be working for some people.
A connection is not impossible, but at this time it’s less than the service-for-all concept I’d been hoping for.
MetroFi this week says its citywide Wi-Fi network in Portland had 11,200 users in May 2007. That’s a 40% increase from the previous month, and represents an estimated 11.5% of the population within the current coverage area, as well as 56% of the 19,900 individuals who have registered for the network since its December 2006 inception.
“We are pleased to see this many people utilizing our Portland Wi-Fi network so early in the deployment,” says MetroFi CEO and President, Chuck Haas. “As the size and density of the network continues to grow, we are confident its population and usage will increase as well, as more residents, businesses, visitors and city departments use the network to their advantage.”
Municipalities can bring broadband to citizens inexpensively through Wi-Fi. Clients are cheap and ubiquitous and it can be funded by subscription fees or advertising — with little or no taxpayer money. But WiFi was never really designed for this kind of application.
I live in downtown Portland but my area is not served yet (I’m about 1/2 mile from the nearest antenna). I can receive signals using my 19db panel and an Engenius 200 mw USB card, but can’t connect (yet). Since it is available as a free service, I’m willing to give MetroFi some slack. I imagine it is in their interest and the city’s to enable the maximum number of users. I plan on testing connectivity this summer.
Russell Senior and Caleb Phillips of Unwire PDX Watch are not so sanguine. I know them pretty well and don’t believe they have an axe to grind — I trust their judgment.
They tested the MetroFi system extensively and found it lacking. They could connect only about half the time. Anecdotally, the observations of Unwire PDX-Watch reflects the disappointing reality for many people I’ve talked to.
BelAir Networks will begin guaranteeing the performance of networks built with its equipment, the company said Tuesday. Belair will certify specific designs for outdoor networks. If performance or coverage fails to meet the specified levels once the network is complete, BelAir will provide additional access points free of charge, said BelAir senior VP of marketing Jim Freeze.
Related DailyWireless stories include; Personal Telco Finds Portland WiFi Coverage Lacking, Personal Telco’s Independent Report on MetroFi Coverage, Portland MetroFi Update, Portland’s MetroFi: So Near Yet So Far, Meraki Rocks, Bridging the Digital Divide, Ruckus Tiers MuniFi with $200 WiFi Box, PepWave Client Adds LCD, Ruckus Repeater for MetroFi, Portland MetroFi: Phase 2, Portland’s MetroFi: Initial Reactions, PersonalTelco Field Day, Portland MetroFi Gets Okay, Portland Chooses MetroFi for 134 Mile Cloud, $10B Ad Bet - and Counting, WiFi Slurpr: 6 Links in 1.
Unfortunately I am afraid that we will see a great deal more of some of these difficulties to get a solid link unless next to and or near an Access Point or Node. Limts on Backhaul will eventually prove to be the killer to many of these Mesh Network designs.
What is interesting is the authors experience was on a new network with few users on it at the time and he still had problems. Wait until the average home broadband user, who will be expecting very high speed links (broadband is now defined a 2Mbps+) and low latency services, attempts to download and upload Music, use the network for VoiceIP calls and Video feeds, play games and P2P services.
These single and many dual radio mesh nodes/AP just do not have the horse power (mainly in the backhaul) to handle much of the above mentioned traffic.
There is a reason BelAir can offer a SLA on their network. They have a 4 and 6 radio systems and can use them (in an approved design) to handle much of what I outlined above. Strix is another vendor with what I call a viable or carrier grade Mesh system (4 & 6 Radios) and can still be cost competitive with the single and dual radio systems.
My biggest concern for the industry is the potential for the above mentioned systems as well as these major Metro Markets like Phil & SF to fail (performance and finacially) to suceed. If they faulter the big CellCO’s will come in with their Narrowband Data hype and start taking the commercial business away form these Mesh Networks.
If the Cell boys don’t the major WiMAX players (with real Broadband capabilities) will cherry pick their commercial accounts and effectively leave them with Residential services which are not really profitable.
Jacomo
Left by jacomo on June 8th, 2007