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Toronto Hydro Wi-Fi Announcement and Pushback

March 7, 2006 at 13:51 | Print This Post Print This Post

Toronto Hydro has made the expected announcement of a wifi cloud over Toronto. The (by December 31) footprint is from Spadina to Jarvis and Front to Bloor, with the downtown core to be operational by the end of June, and the suggestion of further expansion later. Lots more info at Wireless Toronto’s blog.

Mark Evans’ report in the Post describes the predictable complaints from competing service providers, who argue that projects like this should be left to them - companies so far unwilling to undertake them. Notably, it’s only day one and it already appears that a key part of their PR campaign will be to emulate the US access providers, and attempt to frighten Toronto voters with the spectre of Toronto Hydro undertaking a business that they describe as complex and costly - the subtext being that projects of this type ought to be left ‘to the experts’ - oligopolists thus far unwilling to undertake such projects, presumably out of a concern that it will hasten the commoditization of their wireline and hotspot businesses. One has to assume that vigorous attempts to lobby the pols are already underway.


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3 Responses to “Toronto Hydro Wi-Fi Announcement and Pushback”


  1. Zoltan (2 comments.)
    March 7th, 2006 at 16:15

    Nicely sums up Roger’s et al’s approach of importing fear-tactics from down south, any yes, it was very predictable. Perhaps they should focus more on bringing down phone prices rather than frighting people with tales of “unfair” competion.


  2. Michael Glenn (1 comments.)
    March 7th, 2006 at 18:04

    Unfortunately unlike U.S. free municipal wi-fi networks, Toronto Hydro already has an established, legitimate provider, Toronto Hydro Telecom. As far as I can tell, this isn’t subsidized by the city and aside from the free trial period is expected to charge competitive rates. Sorry Ted.


  3. Zoltan (2 comments.)
    March 7th, 2006 at 22:00

    It looks like it’s going to be free for the first 6 months - that’s a nice touch, I just caught that on CBC’s The Hour tonight, in case it hasn’t been reported elsewhere.