Guest Guest Posted March 5, 2008 Report Share Posted March 5, 2008 To: viewpoints@pressconnects.com CC: cstovall@pressconnects.com; froessne@binghamt.gannett.com; catlin@wbngtv.com; moss@wbngtv.com; newstips@news10now.com; jimehmke@clearchannel.com; info@news10now.com; comments@news10now.com; fox40@wicz.com; newsdirector@wicz.com; lizahaines@clearchannel.com; actionnews@wbngtv.com; president@binghamtonchamber.com Subject: $15,000 loss in July, how much now? Date: Wed, 5 Mar 2008 13:33:29 +0000 At the press conference tomorrow for Binghamton Municipal Wifi network can you ask Tarik Abdelazim how much the system will lose now that it does not have users fees? He said it would lose $15,00 WITH users fees. Now he has done away with those (probably because he couldn’t figure out how to administer them), so much will it lose now? From The Press & Sun-Bulletin: "It's a very fiscally responsible way to provide Wi-Fi to downtown," said Abdelazim. The city would collect the subscription fees, which would offset the annual $36,000 fee for maintaining the network. Abdelazim estimated the fees would cover about half the maintenance cost at first. "Is it worth $15,000 to get Wi-Fi?" he added. "Absolutely." Will it lose $20,000? Will it lose $30,000? Will it lose $40,000? It is it worth it at any price when people can get the signal from the Holiday Inn Arena for free and the few restaurants on State Street could have done it for themselves for about $500 total (about $100 each). Also, can Tarik and Plexicomm clear up the confusion about the systems? Since they gave this contract to Plexicomm with no public bidding, why does Plexicomm have another network with such a similar name? Who will get the equipment when the two-year grant expires and the system is broke? From Mr. Wizard on BCVOICE.com: “I tried using the Binghamton WiFi service today with mixed results. Maybe the weather is degrading the signal or something (ice on the transmitters?). What was really baffling was that twice, while trying to re-establish a dropped or lost connection, my browser was automatically re-directed to the website of "Binghamton Wireless" (www.binghamtonwireless.com) immediately after appearing to have been logged back onto the "Binghamton WiFi" wireless network as a "trial user". These are NOT one and the same as some BC Voice posters have mistakenly stated in other threads, but -- lo and behold -- there is a "connection". According to the "About Us" tab/page on the "Binghamton Wireless" website, "Binghamton Wireless" (address: P.O. Box 2687, Binghamton, New York 13902-2687) is a division of Plexicomm, LLC, the same company contracted by the City to set-up and run the "Binghamton WiFi" network. Thus, it seems that "Binghamton Wireless" (operated as a division of Plexicomm, LLC) is A COMPETITOR of the "Binghamton WiFi" network. On its website, "Binghamton Wireless" boasts county-wide residential wireless internet service (and beyond -- including OWEGO, NORWICH, SIDNEY, SAYRE AND WAVERLY), so "Binghamton Wireless" can't be the City's "Binghamton WiFi" wireless network which is only going to be available in parts of the downtown area. So, what motivation does Plexicomm, LLC really have to do the best job possible for the City if it's trying to siphon off customers for its own competing wireless internet network by an imbedded programming device that causes folks logging on to "Binghamton WiFi" to occasionally wind up being re-directed to the website of "Binghamton Wireless"? (Oops!)." The Ryan administration wouldn't have forgotten to prohibit unfair competition or conflicts-of-interest in its contract with Plexicomm would it? OMG! Maybe it has!” Is the Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce aware of these conflicts and potential large loss of money? Is this really a project they want to endorse? Does the Chamber realize supporting Ryan now will only serve to bolster him when it comes to his Living Wage legislation? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Of Swing Posted March 5, 2008 Report Share Posted March 5, 2008 Sounds like more wasted money by the Ryan Admin. Spend the money where it is really needed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest Posted March 5, 2008 Report Share Posted March 5, 2008 Sounds like more wasted money by the Ryan Admin. Spend the money where it is really needed. You're joking right? You mean like on city Youth Directors and Community Relations Directors and Blight Coordinators and Sustainable Development Coordinators and $35,000 studies that are thrown out before being publish and roundabouts that lead to nowhere? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tax&Spend Posted March 5, 2008 Report Share Posted March 5, 2008 OP (style seems to be that of Mr. A or one who seeks to mimic him, doesn't it?) is incorrect in stating there will be NO user fees. In fact, there is a $10 monthly subscription fee, paid in quarterly installments. See the "Binghamton WiFi" tab on the City's website at: http://www.cityofbinghamton.com/binghamtonwifi.asp And, the service area will likely extend beyond downtown: http://www.cityofbinghamton.com/pdfs/WiFi%...rage%20Zone.pdf What the City doesn't make in user fees, it will almost certainly make in advertising revenues, if it can sell the ads: http://www.cityofbinghamton.com/pdfs/WiFi%...ate%20Sheet.pdf This could turn out to be a profit-center for our City. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest Posted March 5, 2008 Report Share Posted March 5, 2008 Better read it again - it's a FREE service. The $10 monthly charge is to use a repeater to boost the signal for indoor use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tax&Spend Posted March 6, 2008 Report Share Posted March 6, 2008 Better read it again - it's a FREE service. The $10 monthly charge is to use a repeater to boost the signal for indoor use. Well, that's not exactly true. Perhaps the webpage is ambiguous on purpose. Yes, there is "free access" for "trial users" for up to two hours per day per IP address, but there are definitely monthly subscriptions for a fee for those who want more or better access, including those who want to lease (or buy and then use) a repeater in order to have adequate indoor signal strength. Moreover, this is a taxpayer-funded system, so City property owners and NY State income taxpayers are footing the bill here (please, don't forget to say "Thank you" to these nice folks whenever you log-on or log-off). When you first connect to the "Binghamton WiFi" network, you see a panel as depicted in the attachment to this message (link below) named BgmWiFiPre_LoginScreenAdPanel.pdf with four "static" box ads and one central "streaming ad" (currently promoting the Parks Department's free [well, OK, it's taxpayer-funded just like this WiFi service is] street tree planting program). After you have seen that, you are now transferred to the Login screen, a panel as depicted in the attachment to this message (link below) named BgmWiFiLoginScreen.pdf with eleven "static" box ads (already two of the $400 ads have been sold! [see attachment to find out which companies]). In the middle, you will notice the "User Name" and "Password" fields above the "Login" button. THESE ARE FOR USE BY THE PAYING SUBSCRIBERS. So, yes, Guest -- limited free access is available. But if you want to do extensive/regular online business via Binghamton WiFi, you should probably plan on buying a subscription. BgmWiFiPre_LoginScreenAdPanel.pdf BgmWiFiLoginScreen.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest Posted March 6, 2008 Report Share Posted March 6, 2008 I told you the wifi system would not work indoors without additional hardware..... This plan is half-baked at best. It reeks of conflict of interest and impropriety. Every wireless communications company in the state should sue. Tarik cannot even do the math. He says half the cost of the $36,000 per year is $15,000 not $18,000. This has failed almost everywhere it has been tried and in far better places than Binghamton. Why on earth would it work here? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neighborhood Disassembly Posted March 6, 2008 Report Share Posted March 6, 2008 I told you the wifi system would not work indoors without additional hardware.....Why on earth would it work here? The model seems to follow the "Tom Sawyer" model of the Neighborhood Assemblies (remember the clean-up days where "volunteers" wanting to help clean the City needed to bring their own gloves, garbage bags, rakes, etc. PLUS sign a liability waiver and agreement to indemnify the City if something goes wrong and the City gets sued). In the case of the WiFi system, the City has installed "half a loaf" (or 15/36ths based on Mr. A's math) and it hopes residents and business owners will "make up the difference" by buying and leasing repeaters and then (using electricity the residents and business owners pay for) fill in the gaps by creating supplementary hotspots throughout the downtown. Rebel -- unplug your repeater when not in use! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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