Double wifi network

As cities are installing wireless broadband networks solely for use by public, safety employees are getting increasingly paranoid about sharing their own data with the public, that’s why Spokane (near Washington) will officially launch on June 23 a dual-use city-wide Wi-Fi network.

The network has two domains:
– (1) the city’s private domain to use for public safety, automated parking enforcement, mobile workforce (who will get access to the city’s computing resources and database information, such as building floor plans, fire inspection reports, mug shot database, or equipment repair manuals), etc.

– (2) the public domain, SpokaneHotzone, for residents, businesses and visitors to the city. They will get the first two hours of access per day for free. By the fourth quarter of 2004, the ISP hopes to make additional hours available through the purchase of a day pass or a monthly subscription.

Details in Muniwireless.