Mar. 6, 2006. 08:30 AM
TYLER HAMILTON
TECHNOLOGY REPORTER
Toronto Hydro Corp. will announce Tuesday that it plans to turn Canada's largest city into one giant wireless hotspot, directly challenging the country's major mobile phone carriers for a chunk of the $8 billion a year wireless market.
With the deployment, which sources say could be available in the downtown core as early as this fall, Toronto joins a growing list of North American cities, including Philadelphia, New Orleans and San Francisco, that have announced plans to bring low-cost, broadband wireless access to their citizens and businesses.
"I wouldn't be surprised if you see it in September or October of this year," said a source close to the project.
Mayor David Miller will join Toronto Hydro executives on Tuesday to officially announce the initiative, which will be the largest of its kind ever undertaken in Canada and could undermine commercial product offerings from Rogers Wireless, Telus Mobility and Bell Mobility.
"I've heard that Ted Rogers is not very happy," said the source, referring to the founder of Toronto-based Rogers Communications Inc., parent company of Rogers Wireless, the country's largest mobile phone provider.
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Last edited by Chealion; Mar 6th, 2006 at 07:28 PM.
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Technically speaking it will still be coming from your neighbours
TANSTAAFL........but it will be a cheaper Blue Plate special than current fare.
I do suspect it will be slowish initially and will have dead zones but it's a big start and a good way for the City to earn much need income and also likely reduce communications cost for staff etc - think - VOIP
__________________ Spring Cleaning Sale email for flyer..sweet prices across the board • Many Retina's, Airs, new iMacs all on sale - great • OWC at par Trades welcome
Maybe cities should be financed differently - take the approach Loblaws does with shelf space......you want to provide basic services to customers.....you pay a "shelf space fee up front" - THEN you get to play.
__________________ Spring Cleaning Sale email for flyer..sweet prices across the board • Many Retina's, Airs, new iMacs all on sale - great • OWC at par Trades welcome
Maybe cities should be financed differently - take the approach Loblaws does with shelf space......you want to provide basic services to customers.....you pay a "shelf space fee up front" - THEN you get to play.
Nice idea Macdoc, but the companies would then jack up prices and say to their customers "it's not our fault prices are so high, blame the city council" and everyone will get upset that the city takes a cut from peoples wallets twice to pay for inefficiency in their local governments.
Wow...Toronto the...connected
Spring Cleaning Sale email for flyer..sweet prices across the board • Many Retina's, Airs, new iMacs all on sale - great • OWC at par Trades welcome
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