A new kind of wireless. Just about a year ago, I found a new wireless connection pop up automatically in my wireless connection profiles.
It was called MetroFi.
A quick visit to
http://www.metrofi.com/ confirmed that it was a free service available in select cities.
MetroFi, Inc. is a private corporation based in
Mountain View who provides wireless Internet services in municipal areas.
They have deployed citywide Wi-Fi networks in places such as
Sunnyvale,
Cupertino and
Mountain View, and soon will deploy a network in
Portland, OR.
Foster City is one of the cities that have MetroFi connectivity.
Initially I thought that the routers were provided to selected neighbors and kept unencrypted. I could not come up with how else they did it. Especially considering that the power of my laptop’s transmitter is only a few hundred feet at most. I was wrong.
The way they do it is by placing the transmitters on top of lamp posts! What an amazing concept!
Terms and conditions. MetroFi's agreement with the City requires them to plan their network such that all parcels of land in outdoor locations in Foster City have the capability of receiving the service. They are required to meet a coverage objective of 95%. In other words, 95% of all outdoor areas will be able to access the Wi-Fi network without the need for additional equipment other than a standard laptop or other typical Wi-Fi device.
Because of building heights, construction materials, and water features, some users may require the need for additional "customer premises equipment", which simply put is an antenna booster to strengthen the WiFi signal within your facility (home, business, etc.).
The City does not regulate the cost of Wi-Fi services provided by MetroFi. Check MetroFi's website for current subscription prices. MetroFi has indicated they will provide a mix of free (ad-supported) access as well as a subscription-based service model.
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