City opens up bidding on citywide Wi-Fi

The city council has ditched Midwest Fiber Networks to do the work on a citywide wireless network for Milwaukee residents. Last October, the company proposed setting up the network at no cost, and would set up deals with service providers to provide internet access.

In an effort to get the project rolling, Mayor Tom Barrett and the Common Council have opened the bidding to other vendors. So far, Earthlink and Cellnet have entered discussions with the city on the initiative.

This looks like a good move to me. The city has been more than patient with Midwest, and opening up the bidding to others can only help Milwaukee residents get the best bang for the buck.