How do I connect to the WiFi network? What systems do I need to purchase?
While we undergo the transition to move the network to EarthLink, follow these
steps to connect to the network. Once the transition is complete, new instructions to connect to the network will be provided to the public.
Why can’t I connect to WiFi service in my house?
Metropolitan WiFi systems are designed primarily for outdoor use . Once the service is sold by EarthLink and others, customers will be supplied equipment that will allow them to connect reliably within their home. Although WiFi involves different technology, you also need additional equipment in your home to have access to cable-based or DSL wireless services.
Why is it that in some areas of the City, my WiFi connection is very slow?
WiFi connections are made possible through the use of low power radio signals. When these signals are in close proximity to a WiFi access point and the signal is strong, the system is capable of reaching speeds of 54 Mbps (many times faster than a cable modem or DSL). However, as you travel further away from the WiFi access point or if there is some physical structure between your device and the access point, the signal strength is reduced which in turn reduces your speed. Therefore, speeds will vary as you travel about the City.
What is “Customer Premise Equipment” and where can I get one?
“Customer Premise Equipment,” or CPE as it is more commonly called, is ancillary equipment other than your computer or the WiFi access point that will facilitate or improve your connections to WiFi. Although this equipment may not be readily available to the general public through local retailers, Internet Service Providers will provide this equipment to local users when they sign up for service and, over time, the equipment also will become available through local retailers just as cable modems and DSL modems are now available for purchase from our local folks.
Since there's an antenna across the street, I got my computer connected. Why would I want to feel like I am paying twice and spend an extra $20 per month when it's only going to be connected around CC?
Although many of us want to have free Internet service in Corpus Christi, there are many who would not use the service and don't want to be burdened with the ongoing expense to maintain free Internet. Our system started as a support technology for Automated Meter Reading (AMR) and was therefore paid for with utility ratepayer money. Around 60 percent of the system is not needed for AMR nor will it be used by other government services. We were faced with the following choices regarding the unused bandwidth:
- Let this excess bandwidth remain dormant and keep the system as a “government operations only” service.
- Open the system up for public use and access including Internet services at the expense of the utility rate payer and taxpayer.
- Wholesale the excess bandwidth to Internet Service Providers (ISP's), allowing this portion of the system to pay for itself by charging only those who want wireless Internet services and allow the public to have free WiFi access to all community/government related sites (not including Internet).
After reviewing these options, to maximize access and usage opportunities, and to not put an unfair burden on the taxpayer or utility rate payer, option three was selected.
Also, please note that WiFi and Internet access are two distinctly different things. The WiFi with its access to government and community sites (similar to a local phone service with no long distance capability) will always be funded by the City and will be available to you at no charge. Internet services, on the other hand (similar to long distance phone service), will be sold by Earthlink and others for a reasonable fee to help cover the cost for this service.
Why did the City abandon the WiFi system and sell it to EarthLink?
The City had a choice to either operate the WiFi system itself or contract or sell the system to ensure good customer service. If we had retained the system, it would have been necessary to create a whole new unit of government to maintain and operate it. This would include (but not be limited to) engineers, equipment technicians, customer service personnel, accounting personnel, community service personnel and administrative personnel and the purchase of all necessary support equipment for these positions.
It was decided that this would require signifianct expense upfront and, as this would be a new service for the City, the new department would be learning as it developed. We felt that customer service would not meet the expectations of the public. It made more sense to partner with an experienced company that, from the beginning, could bring all the support and equipment necessary to provide a product that would meet the publics expectations.
The City will remain a business partner with EarthLink and provide free WiFi to all citizens with access to government and local business activities. The City will work to ensure that all of our citizens who want to have access to the system are able to make use of the asset.
Will the WiFi net reach Flour Bluff? If so, will EarthLink service take the place of the Cable Modem service I am using now. I don't want to duplicate services.
The WiFi system does extend to the Flour Bluff and Padre Island area. Wireless data service is not the same as wired service and is not necessarily designed to replace your current service. Wireless service is not unlike cellular telephone service that provides you with the freedom to travel about and make/receive telephone calls. Most folks who have cellular service elect to have wireline services, as wireline services tend to be more reliable and consistent in the home. If the only place you need Internet service is in your home, you will need to decide if you want to make a switch or add a mobile data service to augment your cable modem service.
Will using WiFi increase my utility bill?
No. Plans for the WiFi system include utilities support only in the corresponding amount of the system they use to support their operations. Each segment of government that makes beneficial use of the system to provide their services will only be expected to pay for the portion of the system used. The remainder of the system available to the public will be self-sustaining. The cost of this system for government usage will be paid for either through the elimination of a more expensive technology currently being used or through making services more effective with a corresponding cost reduction or cost avoidance.
How long will EarthLink keep the cost at $20.00 a month? Will they ever increase that?
The cost of service is based on many variables that will require EarthLink to evaluate the marketplace and the cost of doing business. It is possible that an increase will be necessary. However, it is also possible that the cost will decrease as more folks subscribe to the service and more revenues are available from advertising on the system. The bottom line is that all of the Internet Service Providers who sell access to the system will need to remain competitive to stay in business. A strong national trend over the past year is toward reduced Internet access costs.
Does everyone in the 147-mile radius have access to it, or are there certain areas where we won’t find it?
The system is currently available in the 147 square mile land area within the city limits of Corpus Christi. Where the population is denser, the system is constructed with more density. In open, undeveloped areas of the city with less population density, the system is constructed with less density. As the demographic of the city change over time, the system should also change to accommodate system demands.