Wired? Unwired? What's the Difference? It's All About Connectivity

Starting from the unwired perspective, I Googled most unwired cities. At the top of the list was Intel's 3rd annual survey released June 7, Wireless Internet: Intel Ranks the 100 Most Unwired U.S. Cities, which ranks cities by greatest wireless Internet accessibility (the number of commercial and public or "free" wireless access points (hotspots), airports with wireless access, and broadband availability). Hot Zones and metropolitan wireless broadband networks can be expected to contribute heavily to Intel's 4th annual survey next year. The top three (hold on to your hats): 1. Seattle-Bellevue-Everitt-Tacoma (which is a pretty long name for a city); 2. San Francisco-San Jose-Oakland; and 3. Austin-San Marcos.

The Intel press release trumpets Seattle Is 'Most Unwired City' In America and makes two key points. First, the association between wireless access and quality of life. "Wireless is becoming a fundamental part of how we live," said Bert Sperling of Sperling's Best Places, which conducted the surveys. "The ability to access information and entertainment when and where you want it is simply irresistible to business people seeking greater productivity and consumers who live an on-the-go lifestyle."

When it comes to Hot Spots, something tells me there is a correlation with the number of coffee shops, which I hear Seattle has a few of. While I don't get out to Seattle (short name version) or the Bay Area all that often, I do know Austin like the back of my hand. We earn that wireless ranking not only by the use of broadband, but also by the number of Hot Spots we have - seriously, you can't swing a cat without hitting a hot spot in this town. You grow used to it and it really smarts when you go on the road and have to, well, actually work at finding a Hot Spot. Still.

The other key point the press release makes is that public wireless is appearing in more diverse locations, citing these locations:

* Legacy Golf Resort - Phoenix
* Kansas Speedway - Kansas City , Kan.
* Chelsea Piers - New York
* Loveland Ski Area - Georgetown , Colo.
* SBC Park - San Francisco
* Dirtwood Skatepark - Houston
* King County Library - Seattle
* Waveland Bowl - Chicago

Let's go back a couple of years for some perspective. This April 29, 2002 article in Realty Times cited a survey by The Media Audit, which found the number of adults logging on the Internet increased 8.5 percent last year (i.e., 2001) in the 85 metro markets surveyed by the firm. Media Audit also reported that the median age of Internet users is increasing, and the median income is decreasing.

1. Madison, Wisconsin - 73.4 percent
2. Washington, D.C. - 73.4 percent
3. Ann Arbor, Mich. with 70.2 percent.

But the article goes on to contrast adults with Internet access to households with Internet access, citing a May 2002 Forrester Research study. Now the top three change, and Madison, DC, and Ann Arbor fall out of the Top Ten.

1. San Francisco, CA - 78.8 percent

2. Austin-San Marcos, TX - 76.5 percent

3. Oxnard-Ventura Counties, CA - 72.9 percent

But, there's more, as the article goes on:

Using a variety of metrics, including population, number of business domains, net use, user expertise, and local available content, Yahoo! Internet Life composed its own list of the most wired cities. The top three?

1. San Francisco,CA

2. San Jose, CA

3. Austin - San Marcos, TX

Time for analysis and conclusions. The first thing that pops out to me is that these cities tend to have more young people and universities and to be more on the cultural leading edge, which connotes vibrancy and weighs heavily as an indicator for quality of life. When it comes to economic development, quality of life matters. But its not as linear as all that. It's not like you can put up a wired or wireless network and you will get quality of life and a strong economy. Just like you could not expect cities to be functional without a good transportation network, increasingly, the same can be said for high-speed Internet connectivity. These networks are a tool. But just because you have a hammer and nails, doesn't mean that you have a new kitchen cabinet.

So, do you want a wired network or an unwired network for your city? In the end, telecommunications networks are about bringing people together, and the technology is just a means to an end. The advent of affordable, scalable wireless solutions has caused us all to take a closer look at wireless as a connectivity solution, and that's what led me to launch this site. But when it gets down to the brass tacks of business planning and developing a business case, two things stand out: 1) what do you want to do (what is the business purpose?) and 2) what's the most effective combination of technologies to help you reach your business goals and objectives?

If your dream is to see your city at the top of one of these lists, I recommend you start with your communities, because those people will tell you what they would use a network for. Don't get too far out in front of your communities of interest in your network planning. By engaging with the communities that make up your city or town, you will find out what gaps can be filled to raise the quality of life, and where a network can contribute.

This blog is already too long, so look for my next blog on Community Involvement, coming soon.