Belson, K. (2006). What if They Built an Urban Wireless Network and Hardly Anyone Used It? New York Times. June 26, 2006. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/26/technology/26taipei.html?ex=1308974400...
This article discusses Taipei’s citywide wireless network, WiFly, which has 4,100 hot spot access points and reaches 90 percent of the population. A WiFly subscription costs $12.50/month, and the network is available in many places others are not, such as subway stations. Nevertheless, fewer people than expected have signed up for the service. This does not necessarily mean that citywide wireless is a bad thing; it points to the fact that those building wireless networks would do well to assess what local users need and are willing to pay for. While Taipei users may not be willing to pay for mobile Wi-Fi access in places like cafes – where it is often already provided free – they may be willing to pay to use it as a phone service, or for things like online gaming. In addition, network revenue may be gained through sources other than consumer services, such as through municipal applications like meter reading.
