When the latest municipal city and county propositions voters ballot arrived in my mailbox, I was stunned to see the following in section J: "Shall it be City policy that the City should, through an agreement with a private provider, offer free wireless high-speed Internet access as quickly as possible on an equal basis to all parts of San Francisco?" Yes or No Considering the city-wide free WiFi debate has been going back and forth since Mayor Gavin Newsom started rallying for it in October 2004, Newsom decided to submit a ballot measure asking voters if they support blanketing the city with Wi-Fi. The wireless Wi-Fi system would enable free Web surfing subsidized by ads from Google. With this pending project, many people have raised concerns about privacy protection, surfing speeds and the terms of the proposed contract. Even if you vote 'yes' the measure is non-binding, so approval doesn't mean the WiFi will be implemented. Ad-supported or not, it's free internet! Lets hope people focus on the pro's and not the con's and vote yes to this proposition. 
For a larger image, read more
Betty Jackson
Madeleine Thompson
J by Jasper Conran
Thats cool! I would vote yes! If people are worried about their speed and such then they can use their own internet. I think it would be sweet to have free internet everywhere outside your house!
1Why is this even a question? I think there should be free wifi everywhere. Hopefully mobile devices like the iPhone will spur the change.
I live in Philly (unforts in the burbs) but the city has wifi throughout - though I believe it's a pay service with Earthlink. But I'd totally pay the $6 or whatever it is to be able to kill time on my iphone wherever I am.
2Pittsburgh has free Wifi downtown. Its free for 2 hours a day per person. You can however buy a yearly pass for really cheap. I think that makes more sense. I don't think its sponsored by anyone or has adds. Thank you Mayor Ravenstahl!
3that would be awesome.
4i'd probably move to san francisco
I know where I'll be living now.
5I dream of a day when the whole world is WiFi. Why not?!
6cool! that is so great! i hope it gets passed - i don't see how this wouldn't be beneficial for everyone?!
7We almost got it a few months ago but apparently there were huge issues about sustaining the cost in the public/private deal we had with EarthLink, so I'll definitely have to research this newer idea! BUT of course, instinctively go with YES!, so I hope this Plan B can work out! I'm 99.999% sure I'll vote for it.
8Post New Comment
Please share your opinion with our community, but make sure it is on topic and follows our Community Rules. We moderate comments and prohibit personal attacks, threats, spam, lewd images, or the promotion of your personal website.