Minnesota

Location(s)

Chaska, MN owns chaska.net, a wireless internet service provider that is partnered with private companies. Because Chaska, MN was one of the earliest municipal wireless networks, it has received a lot of attention in the news – both positive and negative. To build the network, workers from the city's utility department installed the outdoor wireless cells in city-owned fixtures. Chaska.net financed the entire $535,000 capital investment needed for the wireless network. Both residential and business services are provided. The network is now operated by Siemens Communications.

Learn More:

Chaska.net
http://www.chaska.net/

Chaska Wi-Fi Experience Offers Valuable Lessons. Mike Hughlett. Government Technology. Apr 29, 2007. http://www.govtech.com/gt/articles/100100

Utility or Futility? How Chaska, Minnesota (pop: 18,000) is showing big cities the way forward. Shaw, Russell. Corante, 2005. [Includes interview with Brad Mayer.] http://www.corante.com/vision/wireless/chaska.php

Tropos Case Study (2004)
http://www.tropos.com/pdf/chaska_casestudy.pdf

Location(s)

ParkWiFi is a private-public partnership between the City of St. Louis Park (which owns the network), Unplugged Cities (which will operate and maintain the network and provide subscriber services), and ARINC (which will build the network).

Learn More:

St. Louis Park Resident’s Information Site
http://www.stlouispark.org/residents/wireless.htm

Park WiFi
http://www.parkwifi.com/

St. Louis Park, Minn. Approves Solar-Powered Wireless. Government Technology. November 10, 2006.
http://www.govtech.com/gt/articles/102210

by Becca Vargo Daggett Originally Published in the "Minneapolis Star Tribune" January 9, 2006

by Becca Vargo Daggett Institute for Local Self-Reliance--New Rules Project-- www.newrules.org/info/minneapolis --December 2005

Becca Vargo Daggett Director, Municipal Telecommunications Project -- Institute for Local Self-Reliance, February 2006

Becca Vargo Daggett and David Morris, The New Rules Project and the Institute for Local Self-Reliance