The Legal/Legislative Battle over Muni Wi-Fi

As the city and county governments of the USA look at big hot-zone/cloud deployments, which are sometimes funded by tax payer dollars, critics are crying foul, claiming it's intrusive, coercive, and, worst, it will be bungled by the bureaucrats. Defenders say it has to be done, and if private companies and carriers could do it (or cared), it would already be working. As the debate rages, many states have passed or are considering legislation that would make it illegal for municipalities to get into the broadband business, whether wireless or otherwise. Get the facts (and opinions) from both sides about what promises to be the biggest fight wireless has ever seen.

Moderator:

Eric Griffith, Managing Editor, Wi-Fi Planet.com

Speakers:

Jim Baller, Founder, Baller Herbst Law Group, P.C.

Braden Cox, Technology Counsel, Competitive Enterprise Institute

Bill Gurley, Venture Capitalist, Benchmark Capital

David P. McClure, President and CEO, US Internet Industry Association

Sascha Meinrath, Co-founder and Project Coordinator, Champaign-Urbana Community Wireless Network