the idea of giving away “free” wireless internet access to generally stimulate business may turn out to have been a bit of a bubble. Up-front costs can be quite high, and the payback is long-term and difficult to measure.
I’m guessing that the initiatives which succeed in this area will be the ones with a sensible business model at the heart of the operation, which supports the whole thing as it grows and becomes popular.
Technology News: Wireless Networking: Bye Bye, WiFi? Local Governments Abandoning Network Plans