[MLB-WIRELESS] NSW Free Wireless

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 Australian IT
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Devil in the wireless details
Chris Jenkins
NOVEMBER 29, 2006 

 


 

 

 


 

THE details of a government plan to provide free wireless internet access in
the central business districts of major NSW cities will be largely
determined by industry proposals, the NSW Government says.

 


 

 

 


 

The three-year plan, announced by NSW premier Morris Iemma today, will use
existing service suppliers to provide free wireless internet coverage in the
main business districts of Sydney and North Sydney, Parramatta, Liverpool,
Newcastle, Wollongong and Gosford. 

"The network will preferably have extensive indoor and outdoor coverage of,
as a minimum, the CBDs of the listed cities," a statement issued by Mr Iemma
said. 

Access to government-owned infrastructure such as buildings and traffic
lights could form part of an agreement with a service provider. 

The NSW Department of Commerce, through the Government Chief Information
Office, is expected to issue a request for expressions of interest (EOI) for
the project in January, with assessment of proposals completed by the second
quarter of 2007. 

It was likely that a "basic", download-restricted service, possibly
supported by advertising, would be provided for free, with higher speeds and
greater download allowances available to paying customers, a spokesman for
NSW Commerce Minister John Della Bosca said. 

However, it was possible that a small city business, such as a florist's
kiosk, may be able to use the free network as its sole internet connection,
he said. 

Coverage areas would largely be determined through the EOI process. "It
depends on what the providers think makes commercial sense," he said. 

Similarly, details such as content filtering, service branding and download
limits would also be worked out as proposals were assessed. 

It was likely that users would have to register with the service provider in
order to access the network, the spokesman said. 

The government has already briefed industry on the plan. "We've had
extensive discussions with some specialist wireless providers and we've also
consulted the larger providers," the spokesman said.

 


 

 

 


 



 

 



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