Santa Monica, California has issued a request for proposals (RFP) seeking a vendor to deploy, operate and maintain a ubiquitous wireless mesh broadband network in the city. Santa Monica covers an area of 8.3 square miles and has 87,000 residents; it lies on the coast within greater Los Angeles. Responses to the RFP are due back to the city by 5:00 PM, Friday, June 30, 2006 (see the RFP for details).
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The vendor will deliver Internet access to residents, businesses and visitors. The city already provides free access in libraries and parks, and would like the vendor to continue to provide free access there. But it also wants respondents to propose a plan whereby free access would be provided throughout the city, perhaps at lower bandwidth, with a paid-for service at higher bandwidths. In addition to serving end users, the vendor should also sell access on a wholesale basis to other service providers.
