MetroFi Brings Free Wi-Fi Network to Sunnyvale

As the trend of providing free citywide wireless internet access surges, MetroFi, a Mountain View-based company, announced that it will be bringing free Wi-Fi ( wireless fidelity ) service to the city of Sunnyvale. The company has already begun work on its network which currently covers a third of the city's households. Other residential and business districts can expect the network to be up and running by springtime.

In order to take advantage of the free service, users will be required to allow advertisements to be shown across a half-inch strip at the top of their web browsers. As MetroFi's CEO Chuck Haas notes, it is a great way for local and national businesses to reach local customers in an economical way. Travelers will also be able to get information about local attractions through this advertising bar.

The speed of the wireless service is comparable to DSL speeds-1 megabit per second for downloads and 256 kilobits per second for uploads. Transmitters are mounted 30-feet high on streetlight poles, and anyone within 250 ft. will be able to access the Internet. Trees and tall buildings may block the signals, however, so MetroFi recommends that users purchase a wireless adapter through retail stores to strengthen the signals.

Haas mentioned that Sunnyvale residents' responses have so far been great. "The phones were ringing off the hook yesterday," Haas said.

Some members of the public are concerned about the health risks arising from the multitude of wireless signals traveling through the air. Addressing this issue, Haas stated that the company "abides by FCC guidelines… and the amount of radio waves transmitted is tiny compared to other types of radiation transmitters."

MetroFi is currently bidding on the construction of a citywide Wi-Fi network for San Francisco.