[wirelesstoronto-news] Press Release: Wireless Toronto response to Toronto Hydro WiFi plans

[Patrick Dinnen]

For immediate release. Attention News, Business, Technology & Assignment
Editors:

Wireless Toronto welcomes news of Toronto Hydro WiFi Plan, hopes for
Public Consultation

TORONTO, March 8 - (http://wirelesstoronto.ca/blog/)

Local community group Wireless Toronto has expressed a positive response
to yesterday's Toronto Hydro announcement.

The group sees Toronto Hydro Telecom's plan to blanket Toronto's
downtown core with WiFi as an ambitious one with far-reaching
consequences. Bearing close resemblance to municipal wireless
initiatives in Philadelphia and San Francisco, Toronto Hydro's plan
expands the local internet access market.

Gabe Sawhney, a volunteer from Wireless Toronto says, "In addition to
having important economic implications for individual consumers and
businesses, the new availability of wireless access enabled by the
proposed mesh architecture in areas of the city that currently have
little or no access, is of key importance. The blanketing of the
downtown core with seamless, and lower-cost network access opens the
door to exciting opportunities for innovation and improved access among
local residents, community groups, artists, and small businesses."

Focused on exploring ways free wireless networking technology can be
used in interesting and innovative ways, Wireless Toronto is excited to
hear further details from Toronto Hydro. In particular, Wireless Toronto
looks forward to a process of public consultation that engages a variety
of stakeholders affected by this initiative.

A non-profit, all-volunteer community group dedicated to encouraging
no-cost public access to WiFi in public spaces, Wireless Toronto has a
growing network of community-based hotspots across the GTA.

Once complete, Toronto Hydro's WiFi zone will be Canada's largest.
Currently, the city's largest public WiFi hotspot is at St. Lawrence
Market, launched in November 2005 by Wireless Toronto and the South
Market Tenant's Association, and it is free to use. A full list of other
free WiFi hotspots offered by Wireless Toronto can be found at:
http://wirelesstoronto.ca, and an in-depth blog discussion of the
proposed Toronto Hydro plan can be found at http://wirelesstoronto.ca/blog/

For more information contact:
Gabe Sawhney 647-222-6677 gabe at pwd.ca
or
Hanna Cho 416-821-6672 hanna at wirelesstoronto.ca