- Chicago could soon become the world's largest Internet cafe now that the city hall has put out a request for bids to build a city-wide wireless Internet system.
The goal is to provide inexpensive -- or even free -- Internet access to all residents in order to help Chicago bridge the digital divide, Mayor Richard Daley said in a statement Tuesday.
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The city of Chicago will offer the long-term use of its infrastructure, such as street lights and lamp poles to a private firm or consortium to use to set up the antennas used to broadcast a high-speed wireless network.
The provider would have to: commit to keep rates low; provide access even in the city's poorest neighborhoods; offer free access in schools, public parks and other destination "hot spots"; and support digital inclusion projects to make computers more widely available to low-income residents.
WiFi Fever Hits Windy City
Ted Balaker
May 30, 2006, 1:13pm