Summer 07
Vol. 12 No. 3

I’m happy to say that soon, you and other Houston employees, residents and businesses will have more flexibility with your computing.

In February, we announced that EarthLink will build a citywide wireless fidelity broadband network. Houston’s 640-square-mile WiFi deployment will be the largest in North America and will help improve city government productivity, provide consumers with more choices for broadband access and provide resources to make sure low-income communities benefit.

The network, which should be complete around the summer of 2009, will be privately financed at $40 to $50 million, so building the network won’t cost taxpayers. However, taxpayers will see major financial benefits. While the price of broadband in Houston is $30 to $50, EarthLink will offer access at $21.95 per month, and up to 40,000 low-income users will get a larger price break. Subscribers can access the network at almost any location in the city provided the device they use has strong output.

The city is getting this technology at an even better price: $10 per user, paid by the user’s department, for a total of $500,000 per year for five years. The cost to connecting with a commercial carrier is $45 per user per month. Considering how many city employees will need access, that’s quite a savings. Employee access will be based on each department’s priorities.

And the city will get some money back from the contract we signed with EarthLink. For each of the 100-130 rooftop transmitters EarthLink installs, the city will receive $1,200 a month. And, starting the third year, the city will get 3 percent of subscriber revenue. This money will be used to help provide a discount to low-income families and to defray the cost of managing the program, such as network testing.

This network should boost productivity for field workers dramatically. It will limit travel and office time for employees like field inspectors and maintenance crews. Public safety responders will be able to implement “office in the vehicle” concepts, keeping them on the road and closer to the action.

Increased productivity and aggressive savings on the technology that creates it: That’s the formula for successful government.

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Do you have a question for Mayor Bill White? Send it to City Savvy, 611 Walker, 4A or hrenewsletter@cityofhouston.net with your name and work phone number, which will not be used in Savvy. They are necessary in case of a question.