Chicago Mayor Richard Daley announced today that the city has issued a RFP for bids to develop and deploy a wireless network. As would be expected, a large number of responses are expected within the next few months. The mayor also announced the formation of a wireless Internet advisory council that will hold public hearings on the network as well as examine RFP responses.
At this point, costs and timelines have yet to be determined. According to the city's website, here are the issues that companies who respond to the RFP must address:
- The network must be available to every resident, either for free or at a low cost.
- Access to the network must be freely available in all public schools.
- Parks and other public places, such as the lakefront, must also be made available for network accessibility.
- The company that wins the bid must make financial provisions to providing free or low-cost access to the internet, including affordable computers and training programs.
The city is asking for a lot, but the project has Mayor Daley's solid backing behind it. Look for a wide range of companies to respond.
