Orlando Yanks Free WiFi
I never knew, but apparently the city of Orlando, FL had a free WiFi system installed downtown. But on Sunday, Father's Day, they cut it off after seventeen months.
City officials said the service worked well -- as many as 200 people using laptop or hand-held computers could log on at once to check e-mail or surf the Web from a wireless zone bordered by Orange Avenue, Eola Drive, and South and Robinson streets.
The problem: Few people were interested.
Despite daydreams of working and browsing the Internet while lounging on a bench at Lake Eola Park, only about 27 people a day, on average, accessed the free service. City officials said they couldn't continue to justify the $1,800-a-month expense.
Philly's pay program, highlighted here on Philly Future, seems to have tested [free WiFi] pretty well so far. I think, and hope, that a seamless municipal WiFi system all across Philly will be successful, I know I'd take my laptop out and take advantage. I'll probably have my laptop out with me while I'm attending the Live 8 and July 4th celebrations and using the [currently] free WiFi they have installed on the Parkway — and yes, I am already fully aware that I am a geek, thank you.
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