Hopes for Wifi Cities Fizzling Fast

Hopes for wireless cities are flickering out one by one as Internet providers run up against mounting logistics and small profits, the New York Times reports. Ambitious plans to provide free or cheap high-speed service to poor residents of cities such as Philadelphia, Houston, and San Francisco have ground to a halt as the providers, most notably Earthlink, pull out of the projects. 

"The entire for-profit model is the reason for the collapse," a technology analyst said. Among the problems: the realization that far more routers were necessary than originally thought, a significant factor in cost. Cities are scrambling to find new business plans to lure providers, and one in Minneapolis is drawing attention: The city will ensure a minimum number of subscribers by signing up municipal workers. (More WiFi stories.)