Los Angeles will soon gain access to a free city-wide Wi-Fi network after months of discussions finally turn into action.
On Tuesday (5th of November), Los Angeles City Council unanimously decided to draw up a request for businesses to put forward their proposals for a free Wi-Fi network that spans across the city, reports laist.com.
Councillor Bob Blumenfield estimates that a roll-out of basic Wi-Fi services could cost the city somewhere between $60 million to $100 million. Moreover, the Information and Technology Agency (ITA) said a more complete service could cost around £3 billion to $5 billion, reports dailynews.com.
Mr Blumenfield explained that wireless firms could take advantage of many of the city’s assets, including streetlights, power poles and outbuildings to host Wi-Fi hotspots.
“This is a grand vision for how we really move Los Angeles into the 21st century and have access,” he said. “We are saying to the companies, bring us your innovations. There is no deal that is too small. We want to partner with companies to expand our reach.”
He also noted that some cities fund Wi-Fi by implementing advertising on the service or by allowing users to upgrade to a faster service by paying a subscription.
Other American cities also currently offering free Wi-Fi include: Riverside, San Antonio, Kansas City and Minneapolis.
