Wi-Fi Milwaukee

This is intriguing. The city of Milwaukee is moving forward with plans to create a citywide wireless network for use by residents.

In general, users of such systems pay a monthly fee for access, as they do for other Internet access such as cable or digital subscriber lines to a home or office. With a user name and password, as well wireless capability on their computer, they are able to access the system from anywhere.

In a letter to council members, Mayor Tom Barrett says the plan would be at no cost to the city and taxpayers. Midwest Fiber Networks has or will line up partners that will include high-profile international service providers and equipment manufacturers to share in the cost, according to the letter, provided to the Journal Sentinel.

It would not be an exclusive deal, meaning competing firms or partnerships could create similar systems.

San Francisco, Philadelphia, Houston and Portland are moving forward with similar plans. This could be a great upgrade of Milwaukee's technological infrastructure.