Yesterday, the "WiFi & Beyond Executive Panel" appointed last year by Los Angeles Mayor James Hahn to deliver a "vision statement" regarding the possible involvement of the City in providing, or facilitating the provision of, broadband wireless access to City businesses and residents unveiled
its long-awaited report about unwiring LA, entitled: "Fast & Easy: the Future of WiFi & Beyond in the City of Los Angeles," at
an event in Pershing Square, Los Angeles.
Today, in a statement sent to
Etopia Media's California Politics Today web site, SBC Spokesman Marty Richter said:
"SBC has long been a proponent of widespread broadband availability in California and across our 13 states. In fact, we already provide very affordable broadband – for as little as $19.95 a month – to 95 percent of homes and businesses in the greater Los Angeles area, and we’re only one of several companies providing broadband service there.
"And we’re in the midst of a $4 billion project to install nearly 39,000 miles of additional fiber – enough to circle the globe 1½ times – to bring super-fast broadband and other IP-based services to 18 million households across our 13 states by the end of 2007.
"We haven’t had a chance to closely review the Los Angeles study. But in general, we think municipalities should be very careful before leaping into these sorts of projects. Especially at a time when many cities are struggling to pay for basic services, taxpayers may have some concerns about risking city funds or utilizing public assets to duplicate a service that almost all residents already can get from private companies. And there also are some policy and private sector concerns when government competes in an industry it also regulates."
SBC's Richter also suggested a visit to the
JiWire Wi-Fi hotspot directory for Los Angeles, which, at 5:30 pm Pacific Daylight Time on Friday, April 29, 2005, contained information about 198 locations in the area offering free or paid broadband wireless access.
