Earthlink to dump municipal wi-fi

ACTING ON ITS recent post of 2007’s Q4 results of a net loss of $9.5 million on $22.6 million turnover , Earthlink has announced its intention to sell off its Municipal Wi-Fi assets (or Muni’s, as they so affectionately call them).

Earthlink Municipal Wi-Fi Networks has been an ailing division of Earthlink for, well... ever, and the big shots have been revolving around the idea of what to do? Well, buried in the flurry of yearly results, Earthlink discretely announced its intention to dump their municipal Wi-Fi operations to the highest bidder – if any are to come.

Earthlink also mentions it got out of Helio, the mobile operator, which just goes to prove that there is some sense to all this, in a consolidation kinda way.

Municipal Wi-Fi (not just Earthlink’s) has been a strange affair for those involved. It usually involves some degree of charity and/or a hollow political campaign promise. For starters, it’s one of those things you do (when you’re an ISP) to say you’re a “full service communications provider”, and then live to regret the day you said it.

Secondly, very little comes of benefit to the people and businesses who are actually involved. When it comes to providing a service to city residents, municipal Wi-Fi tends to look good on paper alone. Then... good luck trying to get your buck back. Since they are usually tied into some mad non-profit organization, it exists solely in the goodwill of those involved.

As part of its cunning city unwiring plan, Earthlink snipped away Corpus Christi (TX), New Orleans (LA), Philadelphia (PA), Milpitas and Anaheim (CA).

Involved municipal authorities will either panic or simply won’t care less about this, depending on the degree of “success” Earthlink’s Muni division had in each location. This is because Earthlink put into place a wireless public workforce that could now be left hanging, uhm... without a safety wire.

That’s why you add clauses in contracts, in case someone tries to stop providing a service and you’re left empty-handed. Unless you’re a politician. In that case you’re left empty-handed and come next election, a more likely candidate to vacate the office.

Anyone in the market for a second-hand Wi-Fi company? µ