A week and a half ago, Mayor Tom Barrett announced plans to supply Milwaukee with a completely wireless citywide Internet network, which would possibly be made available to low-income people for reduced prices.
Such a system could decrease the phenomenon known as the "Digital Divide" if it were made available to low-income people, supporters of the initiative say.
Barrett's plan, called the Milwaukee Wireless Initiative , would allow low-income people without Internet to access the same tools and resources that some believe are allowing higher-income people with Internet access to advance above them economically and culturally, according to Randy Gschwind, Milwaukee's chief information officer .
"What Milwaukee's going to do is offer it for free in libraries and schools and offer it at a lower price to lower income families," said Ingrid Buxton, a laboratory coordinator in the department of physics who has researched the Milwaukee Wireless Initiative.
Under the plan, Milwaukee residents would pay a $20 monthly fee for unlimited Internet access . The city is considering offering the Internet at a lower rate to low-income families, about $10 a month, according to Gschwind.
The price for low-income families could go down more after Midwest Fiber Networks , the private company that wants to build the physical components of the system, leases it to Internet companies.
Leasing the system to Internet companies "could improve competition, it could drive prices down and improve access for low-income families," Gschwind said.
Buxton agrees Milwaukee should offer wireless Internet to low-income families for educational and professional reasons.
"The Internet is education, it's quality information and it's essential to being a good worker in the future," Buxton said. "You can have a computer, but if you can't get on the Internet it's worthless. It's getting to a point where if you don't have a computer you can't finish school assignments."
In addition to decreasing the Digital Divide, the Milwaukee Wireless Initiative would benefit Milwaukee in other ways.
"It would get a lot of good press for Milwaukee," Gschwind said. "There's the benefit of being the first to have wireless Internet. If you're a well connected city, it could bring more business. As soon as we can get a contract signed we can start construction."
Once construction starts in Milwaukee, Midwest Fiber Networks will begin by installing the Internet in sample neighborhoods then move to install in all areas of Milwaukee.
"There would be Wi-Fi networks with antennas on light poles or telephone poles," Gschwind said. "Those antennas have to be installed at a fairly dense rate at about one per every 25 square miles."
The wireless Internet would be faster than DSL but slower than a cable modem, he said.
Marquette students could benefit from the Milwaukee Wireless Initiative as well.
"It would be great having Milwaukee be wireless, not having to worry about where to study," said Patty Losch, a senior in the College of Nursing who regularly uses the wireless Internet in Raynor Library. "If it was available, I'd definitely use it to go off campus."
Similarly, Chris Waraxa, a sophomore in the College of Business Administration who also uses the library's wireless Internet, said he likes the mayor's proposal.
"I use the wireless Internet every time I come," he said. "It's better than having a wire in the wall. It would make it a lot easier. You could even use it in your car."
Pending final details, the initiative would be accessible to all Milwaukee residents in about a year.
This article was published in The Marquette Tribune on October 25, 2005.