firewire9999
join:2004-07-11
Livonia, MI | Orlando Backs Off Free Wi-Fi
What a waste of money per month.
Ya I am sure that somebody is just going to step up and foot the bill for them for free.
Oh FIRST Post.......................... |
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Primis1
join:2005-06-13
Coldwater, MI
| Of Course It's Probably Failing
I'm sure probably what Orlando did is rolled out the service, didn't market it or make it well-known, and then did nothing to foster an environment where people would actually use it.
So yeah, in that light of course it probably didn't get used. Nobody likely knew about it, and those that did had no use for it because they didn't create an environment where it could thrive.
You don't just roll out free wifi -- you have to have a plan and a reason. These stupid cities don't get that... |
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Goldman
join:2002-06-21
Maumelle, AR
| I can't believe that the city of Orlando can't work with Disney and other local businesses to establish wi-fi access in places where there is a need. They might want to actually find out if there is a need first.
These cities need to quit wasting taxpayers dollars on unnecessary Wi-Fi. |
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lordfly
join:2000-10-12
Homestead, FL | Why so costly?
I was aware of the free wireless in Orlando, but actually had no reason to go to downtown to use it.
But I am still wondering why it would cost $1800 per month. |
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citywideorhotspot
@verizon.n
| reply to Goldman
Re: Of Course It's Probably Failing
So ALL of orlando had it, from the boondocks to the city limits eh?
What would have been a better idea was to promote it in HOT SPOTS where people could go and use the service rather than complete 100% coverage. In ways that promote tourism and commerce, ya'd think that would have been the impetus to spur economic development, but no.. my guess is they wanted this initiative to fail in the public eye so others wouldn't try it,
If its no good for Orlando, its no good for your town, as if so goes Orlando, FL, so goes the country... but everyone turned their back on that motto way back in 2000 (Approximately Novemberish)  |
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pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD
 ·Comcast
| reply to Goldman
said by Goldman  :I can't believe that the city of Orlando can't work with Disney and other local businesses to establish wi-fi access in places where there is a need. They might want to actually find out if there is a need first. No theme park in their right mind would back this. The theme parks want people in their parks spending money, not wasting time outside of the theme park on the Internet and not spending money in their parks.
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Hey Fast Eddie... you're next! |
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TKJunkMail
Enjoy the sun
Premium
join:2002-03-03
Avalon, NJ
 ·Sprint Mobile Broa..
·Comcast
| reply to Primis1
People don't walk around the streets of a city looking for WiFi access. It has to be in places that people sit down and eat or drink or near schools, restaurants, diners, train stations, etc. And then it has to be advertised in those places that it is accessible.
Free, occasional use WiFi access in limited areas is different from a city wide WiFi where homeowners can gain access for cheap prices. Those are 2 different models of access. Orlando chose a model(occasional use) that isn't very viable given where they sited it(for a local park).
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My Web Page
Join Red Room Forum |
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pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD
·Comcast
| That's quite a bit of money
$1800 a month could have bought quite a few schoolbooks, paid for part of the salary of a full time police officer or firefighter, fixed up a few potholes, or fulfill some other really useful government function. Too bad the taxpayers of Orlando won't be getting this money back after having it so irresponsibly wasted by the city.
The funny part is there is another thread which discusses "push polling" used by cable and phone companies to derail plans for municipally-provided Internet service. I always wondered why these companies have to resort to such sleazy tactics when there are plenty of real life examples, such as this story, as to why taxpayer money shouldn't be used for this sort of thing.
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Hey Fast Eddie... you're next! |
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ib50MbSoon
Formerly TwoKDialup
Premium
join:2002-06-07
Coloma, MI | Maybe...
it's because in the Orlando area there are about a bazillion other things to do besides playing with a laptop. Sheeeeesh! |
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Orwell1984
@fdn.com
| Wish I had known
I live and work in the Orlando area. I had never heard of this service and I tend to keep up with these things. This would have been very useful to me. If I didn't know about it I can't help wondering how well it was announced.As for the cost that $1800 per month is less than 1 cent per month divided by our current population. Wow what a huge friggin waste almost a whole penny.:o |
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gbrown759
join:2003-05-03
Ridgeland, MS
| reply to citywideorhotspot
Re: Of Course It's Probably Failing
said by citywideorhotspot:
So ALL of orlando had it, from the boondocks to the city limits eh?
I thought the article clearly said that it was available only in the downtown area.
I could see $1,800/mo. if it was city-wide, but that seems a little pricey for just a few blocks. |
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bradleym
join:2002-08-05
Dunfermline, IL | reply to pnh102
Believe it or not, Disney has their own wi-fi, and it's $9.95/day for a measly 128k connection. I would gladly have driven downtown to work for a couple of hours during my last trip had I know about their free access. |
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B
Premium,MVM
join:2000-10-28
| The Money is NOTHING
Some of you folks are awfully short-sighted.
While $1,800 does seem quite high, it's barely the loaded cost of A SINGLE SALARIED EMPLOYEE of any kind.
For providing broadband to an entire city, that cost is RIDICULOUSLY cheap. Only fools would (a) fail to properly advise citizens of the availability and then (b) pull the plug in so miserly a fashion.
For the cost of a single cafeteria employee or sign painter...
-- B
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In a realm outside causality and function |
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King75
King Of All And Nothing
Premium
join:2004-07-31
Stevensville, MD
clubs: | reply to Primis1
Re: Of Course It's Probably Failing
Yeah defiantly not wide known. I have a number of friends at UCF that use the campus's WiFi and would have used it downtown if they had known about it. |
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bmn
? ? ?
Premium,ExMod 2003-06
join:2001-03-15
hiatus
| reply to B
Re: The Money is NOTHING
said by B :Only fools would (a) fail to properly advise citizens of the availability and then (b) pull the plug in so miserly a fashion. Indeed... I'm betting that it was poor communication on the part of the organizers that caused so few people to use the system. If people don't know its there or WHAT it is, they aren't going to use it...
Also, this IS NOT a good example to use to show that municipal networks should not be built...
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Its back... From the dead.
Since the dawn of time, man has yearned to destroy the sun. -CM Burns |
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TechieZero
Tools Are Using Me
Premium
join:2002-01-25
Wesley Chapel, FL |  City of Orlando had a Wi-Fi service?
City of Orlando had a Wi-Fi service? |
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TechieZero
Tools Are Using Me
Premium
join:2002-01-25
Wesley Chapel, FL
| reply to pnh102
Re: Of Course It's Probably Failing
said by pnh102 :said by Goldman :I can't believe that the city of Orlando can't work with Disney and other local businesses to establish wi-fi access in places where there is a need. They might want to actually find out if there is a need first. No theme park in their right mind would back this. The theme parks want people in their parks spending money, not wasting time outside of the theme park on the Internet and not spending money in their parks. Not really. Theme parks make their money on Food, Admission and merchandise.
Once they got you in to the park they don't care if you stare at the water fountains. They know you are going to eat and you might buy a t-shirt.
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"Democracy is the worst form of government except for all those others that have been tried."-Winston Churchill |
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richardpor
Fur it up
join:2003-04-19
Portland, OR
| The Folly Of Government Subsidies
This is a fine example of the folly of government subsidies where expenditures are greatly higher than the number of beneficiaries. This also goes for sports stadiums and mass transit projects.
I also disgusted with the broadband freeloaders want the taxpayers to pay for their Internet connection. If you want broadband get a job. If you can afford the cost of the computer, you are reading this message then you can afford to pay for your own broadband connection |
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pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD
·Comcast
| reply to TechieZero
Re: Of Course It's Probably Failing
said by TechieZero :Once they got you in to the park they don't care if you stare at the water fountains. They know you are going to eat and you might buy a t-shirt. But who is going to bring a laptop into a theme park? I am sure the park wouldn't care if you did bring one in and paid admission and such, but realistically I doubt anyone would do that.
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Hey Fast Eddie... you're next! |
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pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD
·Comcast
1 edit | reply to bmn
Re: The Money is NOTHING
said by bmn :Also, this IS NOT a good example to use to show that municipal networks should not be built... Sure it is. The network failed. And not only did it fail, but the City of Orlando owes its taxpayers an explanation as to why such a network was built in the first place without the public knowing about it. Heck, how the heck is a wireless network which doesn't charge for access supposed to pay for itself anyway?
The taxpayers are now out of extra money that could have been used for other services. Taxpayers would not have become involuntary investors into this network had a private company tried it out, and likewise they would not be out extra money had such a venture failed.
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Hey Fast Eddie... you're next! |
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