A Wi-Fi Network for Moose Jaw

A Recommendation Report from the Municipal Wireless Task Force

Prepared by Lorenzo Michel
Summary
In this report, the Municipal Wireless Task Force recommends implementing a citywide wireless network. The network should allow for low-cost,
universal access within the city limits. Encouraging competition among broadband providers will be key to the success of this network.

Task Force Members

The following citizens, elected officials, and employees of Moose Jaw are responsible for this report:

Sven Larsen City Manager 693-9991

Trina McCoy City Council, Moose Jaw North 691-5551
Dwight Hanselm City Council, Moose Jaw South 692-6632
Eli Katzenberg Executive Director, Katz Computing 692-3655
Amelia Brown President, Moose Jaw Board of Education 694-9999
Tom Fuerstenberg Vice President, SaskPhone Communications 692-4125

Building a Network
Across the country, local governments are in the midst of establishing municipal wireless (or Wi-Fi) networks, with the goal of providing free or
inexpensive Internet access to all residents. Some studies suggest that by 2012, over two hundred towns and cities will have established municipal Wi-Fi
networks.

After studying the issue extensively, we believe that a municipal Wi-Fi network in Moose Jaw will improve worker productivity across the economic
spectrum. We also believe such a network will help attract businesses with the promise of a technologically savvy worker force. Furthermore, an easy-to-
access network will improve life generally for our citizens, by making the Internet available to all for minimal cost.

Keeping the Cost Low

In order to be economically self-sustaining, the network must be widely adopted by all residents, regardless of income, and be available in every area of
the city, including homes, offices, parks, and restaurants. To ensure this degree of access, a typical municipal Wi-Fi network consists of a mesh of access
points that allow continuous coverage throughout the city. (An access point is a radio transmitter that communicates with wireless devices such as
laptops.) Residents will have to subscribe to the service, but assuming a widespread adoption of the service, we estimate prices as low as $10 a month
per household. This is far less expensive than the $40 a month many residents now pay for DSL or cable Internet connections.

The Wi-Fi network we are proposing would provide a wireless signal only up to the external wall of any building. The resident or business owner would
then be responsible for propagating the signal throughout the building, whether by an internal wireless access point or traditional network cable. Note
that this is similar to the way the standard telephone network works. The telephone company provides service up to the exterior wall of the house. The
home owner or business is then free to wire the house for telephone service any way he or she chooses.

Deploying the Network

We recommend hiring a third party networking corporation to manage the construction and operation of the wireless network. This networking
corporation would require access to the city infrastructure—such as street light poles, electrical conduits, and city buildings—in order to construct the
network. Once construction is complete, the city can sell broadband rights based on competitive bids to a wide range of broadband providers.

The Next Step

We recommend issuing a Request for Proposal (RFP) to all parties interested in constructing and managing the Moose Jaw Wi-Fi network. All proposals
should specify the type and quantity of network access points, the proposed location of all radio transmitters, and details on the network protocols that
will be used. We should also require a six-month pilot program that allows the city to test a scaled-down version of the proposed network before we
sign-off on a final contract.

City-Wide Wi-Fi
Many cities around the world announced plans for city-wide Wi-Fi networks in the early 2000s. This proved to be much more difficult than their
promoters initially envisioned with the result that most of these projects were either canceled or placed on indefinite hold. A few were successful, for
example in 2005, Toronto, Ontario became the first city in Canada to offer city-wide free Wi-Fi. The Toronto Wi-Fi infrastructure has been very successful
and is currently operating at a profit. Many Canadian cities have followed in Toronto’s footpath had have had reasonable success in city-wide Wi-Fi
distribution including Edmonton and Vancouver. In 2010, several other smaller Canadian cities including Thunder Bay and Kelowna have indicated that
they are proceeding with city-wide Wi-Fi distribution with project completion by 2012. University of Saskatchewan built the first wireless Internet
network in Canada at their Saskatoon campus in 2001long before Wi-Fi branding originated in 2002. Most campuses now have wireless Internet. Almost
all campuses offer Wi-Fi access to students and staff free of charge. As of 2010 Wi-Fi technology has spread widely within business and industrial sites. In
business environments, just like other environments, increasing the number of Wi-Fi access points provides network redundancy, support for fast
roaming and increased overall network-capacity by using more channels or by defining smaller cells. Wi-Fi enables wireless voice-applications . Over the
years, Wi-Fi implementations have moved toward "thin" access points, with more of the network intelligence housed in a centralized network appliance,
relegating individual access points to the role of "dumb" transceivers. Outdoor applications may utilize mesh topologies. As of 2007 Wi-Fi installations
can provide a secure computer networking gateway.

Wi-Fi Infrastructure
Wi-Fi Wireless Internet service broadcasts signals in order to offer Internet access to large areas. Wi-Fi antennas, such as the Cisco W200 Access Point
illustrated below are strategically placed throughout the city to maximize user access. Each antenna transmits data to and from user’s wireless devices.
Each antenna can transmit and receive data in a three block radius in a non-line-of-sight connection. Connectivity strength and quality is dependent on
line of sight obstacles, however, penetration in the three block radius is relatively stable. Line of sight connection with not obstacles and reach a radius
of six blocks. Studies have indicated that the city of Moose Jaw would require 27 Wi-Fi antennas at a cost of $9,000 each. The total cost of the
infrastructure would be approximately $243,000.