Newsroom

Announcements News/Web Articles Praises	News/Web Articles
	June 2006
	21	Wireless Works, Mostly
	04	Will Wi-Fi fly? Free wireless over Portland
	April 2006
	14	MetroFi to Blanket Portland, Ore. With Wi-Fi
	14	Portland to build free Wi-Fi network
	14	City of Portland gets free Wi-Fi network
	14	News For Your Web Site
	14	Portland on road to free Wi-Fi for all
	14	Portland is the latest city that wants free Wi-Fi access
	14	Portland, Oregon The Latest City To Go "Wi-Fi"
	14	Portland Moves A Step Closer To Citywide Wi-Fi
	14	Like Internet Cafés? Try An Internet City!
	14	Wi-Fi plan set to drop Web barriers
	13	Portland (un)plugs in to free, universal Wi-Fi
	13	MetroFi Wins Bid to Operate Portland Free WiFi Network
	13	MetroFi selected to operate Portland Wi-Fi network
	13	Free WiFi for Portland Residents
	13	City of Portland Selects MetroFi to Build Citywide Wi-Fi Network
	13	Oregon city selects vendor for mesh network
	13	MetroFi Selected to Deliver Free Wireless Internet Access to City
	13	EarthLink loses Portland deal
	13	MetroFi Wins Portland Wi-Fi Deal
	13	Portland, Ore., taps MetroFi for mesh network
	13	Metro Lands Portland WiFi
	13	DAILY DIGEST
	13	Portland Gets ‘MetroFi’ed
	13	MetroFi Unwires Portland
	13	TECH TICKER
	13	EarthLink loses Portland deal
	13	City chooses MetroFi for wireless Internet
	13	EarthLink loses Portland deal
	12	MetroFi Selected to Deliver Free Wireless Internet Access to City
	12	Portland Goes MetroFi
	12	EarthLink loses Portland deal
	12	City chooses MetroFi for wireless Internet
	12	EarthLink loses Portland deal
	12	MetroFi selected to operate Portland Wi-Fi network
	12	City chooses MetroFi for wireless Internet
	12	Fee Vs. Free Wi-FI
	12	City chooses MetroFi for wireless Internet
	12	City of Portland release: Portland Closer to Becoming "Unwired"—MetroFi selected to build Portland wireless network
	February 2006
	25	From the Ground Up: The Unwire Portland Project
	13	Portland closes in on Wi-Fi pick
	January 2006
	20	City's three wireless suitors propose differing plans
	20	Coming unwired
	09	City plans to offer wireless
	December 2005
	06	Portland cuts WiFi hopefuls to final three
	November 2005
	23	The Cordless Life
	03	In Other News - WIFI CLOUD GATHERS
	01	Six Bidders for Unwire Portland Initiative
	01	City collects six wireless bids; Qwest hangs up
	01	6 companies bid to 'unwire' Portland
October 2005
31	Qwest out of running for Portland Wi-Fi network
31	Today is Deadline Day to Submit Unwire Portland Bids
31	Steve Wozniak Endorses Firm to Unwire Portland, Oregon
31	Down to wire on wireless Internet bids
29	5 most Wi-Fi friendly American cities
28	Qwest writes bid to make Portland wireless
27	Steve Wozniak Endorses Firm to Unwire Portland, Oregon
26	Enter The Woz (PDF version)
20	Wi-Fi on the Farm: The World's Largest Hotspot is in Oregon
19	The City of Portland Requests Bids for Wireless Network
19	CNN: Is 'Wi-Fi on steroids' really the next big thing?
07	PDX Update - CITY
September 2005
30	Unwired Portland & PTP Meetup
30	Portland could take WiFi to the masses
29	Unwire Portland Leaders At Personal Telco Meeting
29	Tech leaders ask how city will extend Wi-Fi effort
28	On My Soapbox
24	Portland, Oregon WiFi Groups Try to Work Out Their Differences
24	Wi-Fi static prompts a sit-down
20	PDX Update - City
20	Portland's Wi-Fi plans may interfere with free service
19	Portland Cloud Competition
19	Two vie to cover city in Wi-Fi
19	Group warns of Wi-Fi conflict
16	Portland seeks wireless service provider
06	The man who would unplug Portland
01	Wi-Fi: It’s Not Just for Geeks Anymore
August 2005
29	Sustainable Industries: Unwire Portland
18	Intel to help communities go wireless
18	Portland Out to Cast Wide Net
09	Pioneer Courthouse Square May Lose Free WiFi Connection
07	The New York Times: When Pigs Wi-Fi
03	On the Personal Telco Project and Unwire Portland
01	Help Keep Pioneer Courthouse Square Awash in Free WiFi
July 2005
31	Intel Planning to Push Wireless Net Technology to the WiMAX
31	Intel, Cities Align on Municipal Networks
31	Portland Seeks Private Financing for Citywide Wireless Network
14	Wi Fi's Cloud of Questions
11	Unwire Portland Schedules Public Workshop
	View/download the workshop flyer. PDF file, 114 kb
June 2005
30	Portland Plans for Metro-Scale Wi-Fi
29	MuniWireless.com: Portland city council approves citywide WiFi network
20	Bring on the Clouds (Wi-Fi, that is.)
29	DailyWireless.org: Portland approves wireless cloud RFP
29	Citywide wireless net up for vote
09	Free for All.
08	Daily Briefing
April 2005
27	WiFi, Portland Style
01	MSNBC.com Wi-Fi Clouds Arrive
March 2005
13	Portland Wireless Cloud Announced
13	Wireless plan for city solidifies

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Citywide wireless net up for vote

Portland will consider offering city business and antenna access to a company that would build a network offering public access

Portland commissioners plan to consider a proposal for a citywide wireless Internet network today, hoping to give the city and its residents a lower-cost alternative to high-speed Internet services springing up across the metro area.

The City Council is scheduled to vote on whether to authorize Portland's Bureau of Technology Services to seek a contractor to build and operate the privately funded broadband network. Backers—including the city, the Portland School District, the Portland Development Commission and nonprofits—originally hoped to have the system online last year, but now say it could be up and running in 2006.

By then, the three major cell phone companies will be offering their own high-speed wireless access. Verizon Wireless introduced an $80 monthly service last week that provides wireless access throughout the Portland area at speeds roughly equal to a DSL connection. Sprint Corp. and Cingular Wireless said they plan to introduce high-speed wireless services later this year.

Despite the private-sector competition, proponents of the city's project say they plan to push ahead with their network in hopes of creating a cheaper option.

"If we could afford the high-speed services that are available on the cell networks, then it might make sense to just go with that," said Marshall Runkel, an aide to Commissioner Erik Sten. "But we're thinking we could get a better deal."

Instead of using tax dollars, the city's plan calls for contracting with a private company that would build, own and pay for the wireless network. In exchange, Portland would offer free access to city property where the company could put its antennas.

Portland would also agree to be an "anchor tenant" for the network, paying to use the new wireless system to collect data from parking meters or connect to remote city offices. Backers estimate that building the network could cost up to $25 million and say that having the city as a big customer would provide the owner with some assurance the network will be profitable.

Wireless Internet service is already available free in dozens of Portland coffeeshops, bars and bookstores thanks to the Personal Telco Project, a volunteer effort that partners with small businesses to install Wi-Fi connections for customers. But each Wi-Fi connection covers only a small area.

Cell phone companies have long used their networks to offer wireless access for laptop computers, but speeds have been slow—approximately equal to home dial-up connections. The wireless carriers have been steadily upgrading their networks, though, and last week Verizon introduced a faster service.

Verizon's new high-speed service is now available in Vancouver, Portland, Hillsboro, Beaverton, Gresham and Salem. Sprint and Cingular plan to introduce high-speed service this fall. Cingular will serve most of the same areas as Verizon; Sprint hasn't announced details of its plan.

The cell phone companies' new service works well for customers who can afford the $80 monthly charge, said Matt Lampe, Portland's chief technology officer. He said the city-sponsored wireless network could be a cheaper alternative for customers and could become a viable, high-speed alternative to cable and DSL for home Internet access.

Cable Internet and DSL subscriptions typically cost between $40 and $50 a month. Portland hasn't determined how much the city-sponsored service would cost.

It's not clear, either, whether any company would build the network on Portland's terms. Sprint and Cingular both said they will look into the city's proposal but need more information.

EarthLink Inc. has submitted a bid to build a city-backed wireless network in Philadelphia, one of several cities—including Spokane, New York and Chicago—that have contemplated or built city-backed systems.

EarthLink customers typically use dial-up connections or other companies' DSL or cable lines to connect to the Internet. On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that cable companies do not need to allow competitors like EarthLink access to their cable Internet lines. That's a setback for such companies, and motivation for them to build their own networks.

Dan Greenfield, an EarthLink spokesman, said city-sponsored wireless systems like Portland's might be an increasingly important alternative to cable and DSL for his company.

"We are looking to explore municipal broadband as a third way into the home as a way to extend our broadband reach," he said.

Mike Rogoway: 503-294-7699, mikerogoway@news.oregonian.com

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Daily Briefing

Portland slipped behind Northwest rival Seattle in Intel's latest ranking of "unwired" U.S. cities, released Tuesday.

Seattle was tops in the nation in the 2005 listing, taking the spot Portland occupied two years ago. The Portland-Vancouver metro area ranked fourth this year, up one notch from 2004.

Intel's annual survey ranks 100 cities by the number of wireless "hotspots" where computer users can connect to the Internet and by whether key facilities such as airports have wireless access.

Portland has dozens of free WiFi Internet access sites, thanks in large part to the Personal Telco Project, a volunteer group that sets up wireless connections in coffeeshops and other small businesses. Portland International Airport also has free wireless Internet access in most of the terminal.

However, Portland apparently hasn't kept up with the growth of wireless Internet connections in other cities. San Francisco and Austin also ranked ahead of Portland in Intel's 2005 survey.

Portland officials hope to improve wireless access over the next year with a proposed citywide network commissioned by the city but financed privately. Draft plans call for seeking bids on the project this summer and beginning construction late this year.

Separately, cell phone carriers, including Verizon Wireless, are upgrading their networks to provide wireless Internet connections for computer users across the country. Verizon says it plans to offer wireless Internet access in Portland but hasn't announced when.

— Mike Rogoway

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WiFi, Portland style

Volunteer revolutionaries are building Portland's wireless Internet, from the grass roots to the rooftops

On the porch at Vivace in Northwest, a wavy-haired doctoral student Googles for the chemical structure of acetylcholine. Inside, a software engineer with glossy lips instant-messages a friend.

Wafting in the evening air, a radio signal carries high-speed Internet access from the cafe's back-office computer to these patrons' laptops, transporting the customers into the virtual surf, free of charge, no wires attached.

Got WiFi?

This place does.

Some think Web surfing in public is obnoxious: "Could you just lose the techno gear for ONE MINUTE?" But the contagion is about the power trip. Reading book reviews online while in the stacks at Powell's. Searching movie listings in the South Park Blocks when it starts to rain. E-mailing a work report while lounging at Urban Grind.

And if the WiFi, or wireless fidelity, trend bothers you, get used to it. City leaders just announced that, as early as next year, a private company could be blasting low-cost wireless Internet access from the sidewalks to the buses to the buildings citywide.

Sure, WiFi is taking off across the country. Just go to a major airport and watch the laptop-toting business travelers. But what sets Portland apart is its grass-roots, do-it-yourself approach.

Behind the citywide WiFi project, behind many of the hangouts where laptoppers can now surf the Web for free, is a bunch of geeks creating WiFi systems from recycled computers over soda and microbrews in the basement of a Southeast Portland home.

Aaron Baer motors home from his Mentor Graphics job, trades his work wear for bike shorts and pedals over to Tom Higgins' massive old Craftsman on Southeast Alder.

Joe McCann, 48, a recently unemployed network systems engineer, and Higgins, 40, a laid-off software developer turned stay-at-home dad, are at the cluttered kitchen table discussing the equipment McCann needs to set up WiFi at a gallery that weekend.

"You build it," McCann tells Higgins, "and I'll haul it over there and install it."

Baer, 31, grabs a slice of greasy pizza and hunts for a napkin.

"I'm thinking pretty much by summertime we'll light up Southeast Portland," he says.

These are a few of the guys from the Personal Telco Project. This all-volunteer nonprofit got its start in late 2000 setting up free wireless "hot spots" at cafes, bookstores, parks -- nearly two years before Starbucks began offering WiFi for a price.

More than four years later, Personal Telco's hot-spot roster has shot past 140. Not only can visitors at these hot spots use WiFi for free, Personal Telco also does not charge the cafe or bookstore owner for installation.

Personal Telco's mission is simple: Free WiFi for the people.

"Some of what we do has been so successful because we embody the Portland spirit," says Nigel Ballard, 47, volunteer frontman for Personal Telco and director of wireless for Matrix Networks by day. "It's a little grass-roots and it's free, and they know Starbucks charges, so they're like, 'If I go to Personal Telco hot spots, I'm kind of stickin' it to the man.' "

Ballard (who coined "got wi-fi?" from the milk ads ) helped city officials see how WiFi could bring the Internet to more people—and keep Portland on the map of tech-savvy places.

A coalition, including Ballard and city and Portland Development Commission leaders, plans to seek bids this summer from private companies to build, own and manage a citywide WiFi network by some time next year.

If it works, the project would give a low-cost alternative to buying Internet access from such companies as Comcast or Qwest. Such companies could bid to create the network or contract to provide Internet services within the network. But city leaders think the heightened competition would drive down the cost.

Personal Telco, as a bunch of volunteers, doesn't want the citywide job. But the group would keep creating free WiFi spots, since the citywide offering would come at a price.

Marshall Runkel, aide to -City Commissioner Erik Sten, a WiFi backer, says Personal Telco's free WiFi hot spots are what pushed Portland into the top ranks of the nation's most unwired cities.

Says Runkel, "They're the Robin Hoods of new technology."

Back at Tom Higgins' house, a few more guys arrive, and they head for the basement to do the nitty-gritty behind their magic.

Michael Weinberg, russet sideburns framing his 25-year-old baby face, camps out on a sofa. He flips open his laptop and pulls up photos of the Labrador/boxer mix he's getting. He's a freelance clothing designer and writer who helps with PTP's grant writing and promotion.

Baer straddles a folding chair at a monitor and inserts an extra networking card in a desktop computer, among those that Personal Telco saved from a landfill.

Baer's mission: Install software telling the computer to route a high-speed connection from a modem to an access point. The access point—usually a slim black box with two antennas—is what projects the high-speed connection over radio waves to WiFi-ready laptops.

"Yeah, now we're talkin'," says Baer at an early sign of success.

"Oooh, yeah," says Weinberg, joining the guys gathered around.

In their spare time, the Personal Telco guys go to the hangouts that have requested their services. The places purchase their own high-speed Internet connection. PTP asks that they select an Internet provider that permits sharing its connection. The PTP guys install their rejiggered computers to create the WiFi.

PTP does its work free and, in turn, expects that the hangout will not charge anyone to use the WiFi. It's a boon for the hangouts. Free WiFi lures customers. But the hangouts' interest in Personal Telco's service is also about that "pro-local" Portland ethic.

Personal Telco operates like a group hug—the hangouts promote Personal Telco, which in turn lists them on its Web site. The nonprofit eventually plans to network the hot spots and offer a calendar of events at those sites and music by local bands.

John Mitchell just got Personal Telco-powered WiFi at Gladstone Coffee and Gallery, at 3813 S.E. Gladstone St. It took awhile to get a Personal Telco volunteer out to the shop, and he had to make a second trip when his hardware failed. But that's sometimes part of the grass-roots package.

Mitchell says coffeehouses always have been a place where people come for information. Makes him think of the handbills posted in public houses during the American Revolution.

"This is the exact same thing, but with new technology," Mitchell says. "I like being involved with that."

Businesses are shuttered for the evening in the light-industrial district around the eastside Urban Grind when some 25 PTP geeks arrive for their monthly meeting.

These meetings gather the larger membership—tallying well over 100—to trade information and, well, brag a bit. On this night, the big talk is about Personal Telco's latest phase, beyond hot spots. Call it Operation Rooftop.

It's where PTP members mount rooftop antennas to create clouds, emanating from a purchased high-speed Internet connection, that rain free wireless access over several blocks. It's a mini-model of what the citywide project would do. And it's what a newcomer at this meeting calls "gettin' on the roof and makin' it happen."

Baer stands up and shares his adventure mounting an antenna atop an apartment building.

"It's a really awesome install. It looks really nice up on the roof," he says. "Mike and Troy were up on the roof with me. ... It's a cool node."

Last week, Meyer Memorial Trust awarded Personal Telco $14,752—a "small grant" in Meyer Memorial's parlance, a windfall to Personal Telco, which last year operated on $3,000 in donations.

PTP will use the grant to pump free WiFi over the gentrifying North Mississippi Avenue business district. It'll radiate eight to 12 blocks from a Mississippi and Shaver rooftop antenna and a high-speed connection donated by Stephouse, a local Internet company co-founded by a 26-year-old, self-taught techie. PTP plans to start work in May and finish by year's end.

Meyer Memorial's Doug Stamm said that a clincher for the trust was PTP's ability to spread Internet access to people who typically lack it. To that end, PTP will offer seminars to teach neighbors to use and eventually maintain their free WiFi network.

Baer, who says he sticks with PTP because he's good at the work and wants to contribute to the community, is psyched about the North Mississippi project. He's already scrambled up on one of the rooftops. He doesn't see the moss or sweat the heights. He just sees the free WiFi potential.

"It has the most gorgeous line of sight."

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Wireless plan for city solidifies

Many details must still be worked out, according to organizers of the Portland Wireless Internet Project

Sunday, March 13, 2005
MIKE ROGOWAY

That's a big step toward advancing the long-simmering project, which could finally be up and running sometime next year. The high-speed wireless network would link subscribers to the Web outdoors or on the move and provide an alternative to existing Internet service providers.

However, organizers of the Portland Wireless Internet Project say a number of details need to be worked out and questions answered. Chief among those: Will any company sign on to build the network on the city's terms?

A coalition of government officials, business leaders and technology enthusiasts has been planning a Portland WiFi network for more than two years. They originally hoped to have it online in 2004, but plans moved slowly in the face of organizational and technical challenges.

A core group of network supporters met Tuesday and agreed on a preliminary plan to seek a private company to build, own and manage the wireless network. Instead of using taxpayer money to build the system—which would cost between $10 million and $25 million, according to early estimates—backers hope to find a telecommunications company willing to build the network in exchange for access to rooftops of city-owned buildings and other government property for network antennas.

The city of Portland also would serve as an "anchor tenant" for the network, committing to use it in outlying city offices, for collecting data from city parking meters, and in other circumstances where wireless Internet access would be cheaper than other networks.

Wireless enthusiasts say the citywide network would be attractive to businesses, which could use it to keep their companies and employees online across Portland. The network also might offer residents a cheaper option for high-speed Internet access than what's now available from phone and cable companies.

Organizers haven't determined how much customers would pay to subscribe to the service, but they want to keep prices low and hope some access might be available free—perhaps at certain times of day or for users accessing city services or Portland schools.

Project backers expect service would be phased in over at least two years, but they haven't determined how much of the city the network would reach. Because existing WiFi technology serves very limited areas, coverage might be limited to densely populated areas. But new WiMAX technology might be able to provide access over a much broader area, potentially serving the entire city.

The network's backers plan to solicit bids for the project sometime this summer and select a company to build the system by the end of the year. Organizers want the network's builder to own and manage it, allowing other Internet service providers to use the network to serve individual customers.

It's unclear whether any prospective builder would agree to that condition or whether a network builder could meet organizers' goal of providing low-cost Internet access to residents, said Matt Lampe, Portland's chief technology officer.

"This is exactly where the question mark is," he said.

Over the next few months, Lampe said, backers of the citywide network will fine-tune their proposal in hopes of making it attractive to companies that might build the network. Intel is helping the group gauge the viability of its plans.

Wireless Internet access is already widely available in Portland coffee shops, bars and restaurants, thanks to the Personal Telco Project, a volunteer effort that set up 142 "hot spots" in the metro area. Internet access is free in those wireless establishments, but access is limited to their premises and immediate surroundings.

Portland was on the forefront of the wireless movement two years ago when Intel named it the "most unwired city" in a nationwide survey, but the city has fallen behind as other cities set up more hot spots and a few moved to build citywide networks.

A number of smaller cities, including Spokane, already have networks serving large wireless "hot zones." Bigger cities—among them Philadelphia and Chicago—have plans under way to build massive wireless networks.

Portland organizers chose to move deliberately in planning their network, said Rashid Ahmed of the Portland Development Commission, which is helping promote the network. The network's backers, he said, want to ensure they make the best use of an emerging technology.

"We're feeling our way around uncharted territory to a large extent," Ahmed said. "This is fairly leading-edge technology that we're talking about here, and I think it's appropriate that we take as much time as necessary to make sure we do it right."

— Mike Rogoway: 503-294-7699; mikerogoway@news.oregonian.com