Community Wireless Networks (CWNs) are a fairly new phenomenon. One of the
first projects, NYC Wireless, started in 2001. These wireless initiatives are often a
response to the lack of high-speed ubiquitous computing. Many of the first users,
frustrated neighborhood “techies,” jerry rigged low cost WiFi antennas to rooftops and
the side of buildings in order to access a high-speed broadband service. By doing this the
wireless pioneers shared high speed wireless signals with neighbors and anyone within
reach of their signal. As wireless computing became more popular, and it’s social and
economic benefits more obvious, CWNs became an attractive alternative for many rural
and low-income urban communities. Populations that had been overlooked by large cable
and telephone service companies.
The success of CWNs has paved the way for municipalities to build publicly
supported wireless projects. Cable and telephone companies, major providers of
broadband service, view municipal networks as unfair competition, and thus began the
legislative battle over municipal wireless networks. The battle continues to wage. Cable
and telephone companies have had some success at the state level and the federal debate
is underway at this moment. Therefore, the purpose of this report is to understand the role
Austin’s nonprofits play to ensure that high speed broadband access is made available for
everyone and how lessons learned in Austin can be applied to other cities and locations
around the country.
The study found that Austin, compared to other cities of the same size, has a very
small nonprofit community to addresses the issue of universal broadband access.
Although the group is small, networking and mingling between community service
organizations, the city government and wireless projects has created a community that
effectively addresses the issue of high-speed access to the Internet. / text
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UTEXAS/oai:repositories.lib.utexas.edu:2152/22556 |
| Date | 05 December 2013 |
| Creators | Rock, Kathy |
| Source Sets | University of Texas |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | electronic |
| Rights | Copyright is held by the author. Presentation of this material on the Libraries' web site by University Libraries, The University of Texas at Austin was made possible under a limited license grant from the author who has retained all copyrights in the works., Restricted |
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