I publish a lot of stories on Slashdot but here's one I was especially proud to get published because it's about something that took place in my hometown of Ponca City, Oklahoma and I enjoy helping promote our city with good publicity: Anyway, here is the story:
I submitted a story to Slashdot, the premier technical discussion board in the world with over 5 million visitors every month, about the deployment of the wireless mesh in Ponca City and they picked it up this morning. The hook that I used for the story was that the new system is the first in the country to allow real time transmission of video from police cars. The story as I submitted it follows or you can read it on slashdot:
In the first system deployed in the country, police vehicles in Ponca City, Oklahoma will have wireless video cameras installed so precinct dispatchers and supervisors can monitor activities during traffic stops in real time, and quickly deploy additional officers and resources if necessary. The system to provide an added level of monitoring and protection for its force is part of a broadband mesh network comprised of more than 490 wireless nodes and gateways connected to 120 miles of fiber backbone that will provide coverage for approximately 30 square miles of the city. The network will provide field communications for city services including police, fire and emergency, parks and recreation, public works and energy but will also be used to provide free wireless internet access for all residents of the city. "The testing of this network showed that it was robust enough to handle not only municipal traffic, but also citizens’ traffic.” said Mayor Homer Nicholson. “So the Ponca City Board of Commissioners voted to allow the extra internet access to be given to the citizens of Ponca City for free."
The second phase of the project will expand the network and wireless coverage to more than 430 square miles surrounding the city with an estimated annual cost savings of over $1 million for city residents who can discontinue their existing internet service. “Our goal is to be one of the most mobile communities in America, and this is a significant step in that direction,“ said Nicholson.
Some more of my photos from the presentation on November 10 are available here.
the problem with ponca city free wi-fi is that it interferes with other wireless networks, whether your in-home network (yes, i've had to do a lot of tweaking to get my wireless network in my house to work since they deployed free wi-fi), and the already existing wireless internet in town. the free wi-fi has created such interference that customers of other wireless internet providers have had to move to a wired environment. and, the pc wi-fi is creating interference on the ham radio band. this was a stupid idea. city-wide free wi-fi has always created interference issue with existing networks, no matter where it has been deployed
Posted by: Gayle Williams | February 09, 2009 at 07:01 PM