Last week, the City of Chicago issued a draft of an RFP (Request for Proposals) for a planned city-wide wireless internet network. And they want your comments. Yeah, you. Want to save a significant chunk of money every month? Read on...
Ok, so you non-techies are already wondering why this is important. It is important because it affects the way every single Chicago resident will live, work, and do business in the city. It will have an impact on the deployment of municipal and community wireless networks elsewhere in the United States and around the world. And, especially if you live in Chicago, it will change your life. Why? Because a cloud of wireless internet access covering the entire city will change everything about how we work, communicate, the gadgets we buy, and even what we get paid.
For example, there's a new toy under development that I'd love to own. It's a Nokia phone, about $350, that connects to wifi networks. The catch? It's designed to run the Gizmo instant messaging client, which also lets you make phone calls. What does this mean? With a wifi network all over Chicago, this phone could get me free mobile phone service, plus the ability to check email and instant messages on the move. Completely free. If I want regular phone users to call me without using an annoying interchange, I can pay Gizmo $5 for a phone number...a regular, normal phone number that anyone can call. Other services like Free World Dialup offer similar functionality. Skype already offers free outbound phone calls to any phone, as a limited time trial. Bye bye phone bill. The ability to allow the average Chicagoan to save $50 - $100 a month seems pretty significant, don't you think? Tack on the $50 some of us pay every month for internet access, and we're looking at a very major savings for everyone who lives here.
Secondly, this opens up a whole new world of localized content. Imagine opening up your laptop or cellphone and receiving information about the neighborhood you're in. Forget about being lost, I'm talking about information on the restaurant you just walked by, and the much better one that's around the corner. The motorcycle repair shop you didn't know about because it's in someone's garage, a block away from where you work. The job opportunities available on your block. All of this is possible with the right kind of community network. Add community independent radio, broadcasting local video content, and an incredible new level of civic engagement. Urbana Champaign and other cities have already proved that this can happen, and are reaping the rewards right now.
And, from the do-gooder point of view, this is amazing in its implications for workforce development. Imagine a city where every child and adult becomes digitally literate, and has access to training materials and coursework online. Imagine a city where everyone gets a GED because they can do it online on the weekends (no excuses) and then go on to finish an associates degree or even a bachelor's degree the same way. The systems already exist (almost every community college has significant online coursework options...I've taken several classes this way in the past), but there aren't enough people with the right level of internet access to truly make use of them.
Right now, the City of Chicago is calling for public comments to this draft, on which it will base the final RFP. This is your chance to make your voice heard. Whether you live in Chicago, the suburbs, or somewhere else, you need to send in an email now that tells the City how you feel. This is your wireless network. How do you want to shape it?
If you're up to date on technology and policy issues, you can skip ahead to the RFP (it's several pages outlining the scope of the entire project) here: City of Chicago, Wireless RFP. That page links to this pdf (you'll need Acrobat Reader) of the actual RFP. You may also be interested in lending your voice to the discussion on the Get Illinois Online Wiki page for commenting collectively on this RFP: Chicago Wireless RFP Comments.
If this is a little over your head, I've quoted some of the passages below and highlighted what I like about them, and where I think the City should make some changes. You may also be intersted in joining the Get Illinois Online mailing list for discussions specifically about the Chicago Wifi RFP.
"To ensure that the greatest number of Chicagoans, businesses and visitors are
able to see the benefits of this Project, the Network must be built on open
standards and allow for the greatest open access possible. Proposals must
demonstrate how open access will be ensured and what additional ideas
Proposers have for ensuring that people can easily use the network."
And later in the draft:
"The winning Respondent shall adhere to the Federal Communications
Commission's (FCC) policy position outlining four principles to encourage
broadband deployment and preserve and promote the open and interconnected
nature of public Internet. These principles are:
consumers are entitled to access the lawful Internet content of their choice;
consumers are entitled to run applications and services of their choice,
subject to the needs of law enforcement;
consumers are entitled to connect their choice of legal devices that do not
harm the network; and
consumers are entitled to competition among network providers,
application and service providers, and content providers.
b.
No blocking of applications, ports or other communication shall be used,
except in situations where this blocking is solely to prevent Network abuse or
is required by law."
This is significant. What this means is that the city of Chicago is making a very clear statement on its position on net neutrality. For those of you unfamiliar with the term, this refers to a move by the telecommunications companies to control what information you have access to by preferring some service providers over others. For example, SBC could force you to use Yahoo search (since they own Yahoo) by blocking access to Google, or charging Google prohibitively high prices to provide search services to you. AOL has already started blocking emails to AOL users that criticize AOL, meaning that you can no longer reach these users to tell them of AOL's new policies. If you have an AOL account, you can't even forward yourself information about this. This goes completely against the open, non-discriminatory nature of the internet.
If the internet in any form is important to you, you should know that this provision is crucial. I would ask everyone reading this to insist that network neutrality is upheld in the final draft of the RFP, and strengthened with language that specifically states content providers and service providers providing content over the internet, such as search engines, cannot be charged to deliver this service to end users on the proposed network, though they will continue to pay hosting / uploading costs to their ISPs.
Next:
"a.
A full disclosure of the privacy policy for all Respondents is required. This
privacy policy shall adhere to all laws, including, without limitation, all federal
and state laws, and shall be communicated to all users on the Network and shall
require users' explicit acceptance before any service is provisioned.
b.
Users must be required to explicitly opt-in to any service that tracks information
about the user's physical location."
This is a strong step in the right direction. It means, for example, that if SBC is contracted to deploy this network, they can't violate your privacy by using your personal information to market products to you, or sell that information to other vendors.
I would like to see this strengthened with language that also specifically allows a user to opt out of such services at any time.
Next:
"The City and the winning Proposer collaborate with the Chicago Public Schools, the Chicago Public Libraries, the Chicago Park District, social service, nonprofit and other community groups to affect low-cost computer purchase, training and content for Chicago's students and low-income and disadvantaged residents."
Yes! This is exactly what the City of Chicago needs...concrete commitments to bridge the Digital Divide, to develop a truly educated workforce. However, it ignores the existence of community organizations that are already working in this field. I'd ask everyone reading this to include in your comments that Community Technology Centers (CTCs) should be included in this list. The final RFP should contain language that specifically calls for efforts to provide low-cost (preferably free) internet access, training, and equipment to low-income individuals, students, or those with special needs. The government and private foundations have recognized this need for years, and have provided funding for community technology centers and internet connections in libraries specifically to offer these people the means to access the internet. With a build-out of a city-wide project, there is absolutely no reason why this service should not be offered to everyone; regardless of their ability to pay. We provide $150 of food stamps to those who do not have the ability to pay for their food. We should offer free internet access, training, and equipment as well, so that these individuals have a means to change their situation for the better.
While we're at it, we need to add Community Technology Centers and other organizations providing training in digital literacy should be provided with free internet connectivity at the business T3 alternative level to foster the ability to deliver online services to their communities. In addition to providing these centers with funding, equipment, and training, the infrastructure provider should commit to directly providing them with high-end connectivity to help them deploy better and wider-reaching training programs. Universal Wifi will allow community centers to deliver incredible amounts of content online. Imagine every resident being able to take free website development courses online, or free digital video production courses. This needs to be protected, so that those organizations don't find themselves crippled by high access charges.
To respond to the RFP (it'll only take a couple of minutes, and your voice will be heard), send an email to Chicago Wireless RFP Responses.
