A Piece of Real Virtual News / Digital Divide

County seeks free wireless access

Businesses would receive incentives; residents would get free use throughout Oakland
Of The Daily Oakland Press

Being able to access a computer anywhere in the county will make workers more efficient and help attract high-tech companies.

That's part of the pitch high-tech companies heard from Oakland County administrators Monday as they launched a project to make wireless access available - and free - from anywhere in the county.

The county invited businesses for the 45-minute presentation, laying out what officials envision and asking businesses to build the countywide network.

Administrators want free access available throughout the county so people without access can use it to qualify for high-tech jobs.

"The goal is to create the work force of tomorrow," said Oakland County Deputy Executive Phil Bertolini. "If they never had access to the technology to begin with, how are they going to take advantage of those jobs?"

Several hundred business representatives attended the presentation, the first in a series of meetings.

The goal is to launch a pilot project by September and have the wireless network in place by the end of 2006.

The county plans to accept proposals in April for participation in building the network but stresses that it doesn't want to own the wireless network.

The county contribution is access to Oakland's estimated 2,400 towers, government offices, public schools, traffic signals and poles, as well as the county's 500 miles of fiber-optic lines.

In exchange for use of public facilities without charge, businesses are being asked to build a network that includes a basic level of free service anywhere in the county.

Under the county proposal, businesses would be able to sell advertising or charge fees for faster or enhanced access.

Administrators plan to meet with the county's 61 cities, villages and townships to arrange for use of municipal light poles and local traffic signal poles as other wireless broadcast points.

"I'm convinced the time is right for the county to go wireless," said County Executive L. Brooks Patterson.

Also joining in the effort is the state's Michigan Broadband Development Authority, which has helped finance wireless access projects in other parts of the state, including Jackson, Benton Harbor, the Saginaw Bay area and Rose City.

To help expand wireless service, the authority offers a combination of low-interest loans and grants to businesses.

"We look at the initiative in Oakland County as building on (what the state has already done)," said Bob Filka of the authority.

"We look forward to making ourselves available."