There has been a spate of articles today about the efforts of Meraki, a wi-fi repeater company, and their Free the Net campaign in San Francisco. Basically, they are asking people to share their internet connections using a Meraki repeater. The theory behind these articles is that Meraki is achieving what Earthlink has not been able to: an actual wi-fi network. For example, from GigaOm:

In the two neighborhoods in which Meraki’s network is currently operational, there are about 6,500 users and 200 volunteers who actively share bandwidth and have placed repeaters on their premises. The network, which covers roughly one square mile, cost Meraki around $50,000, including the cost of hardware and DSL gateways sprinkled throughout the region.

Here’s the text of the wi-fi initiative that will go on the ballot in November. There’s not really much there there, other than clause 4, which specifies “a public-private partnership”. I will bet that passing a proposition with this language will be used in the future to argue against a public broadband network.

Although the proposition claims that “A City-wide Wi-Fi Network will ensure that all parts of San Francisco are equally served”, there’s nothing in the language of either the proposed contract or the proposition to ensure that the network will actually cover every part of San Francisco.

Declaration of policy supporting a wireless broadband network that provides free high-speed Internet access for all San Franciscans and protects user privacy.

Gavin Newsom, who’s spent the last 9 months ignoring a non-binding resolution asking him to appear before the Board of Supervisors, has now decided that they are important and has put a free wi-fi measure on November’s ballot.

I think it unlikely that the measure will fail. Almost nobody (except SNAFU) is against free wi-fi, as such, although there are many of us who think it’s not the best way to get internet access to everyone. Equally, nobody’s against free ice cream, although it’s certainly not the best way to get nutrition to everyone.

I just walked in the door from the airport to an email saying that Newsom put a wi-fi proposition on the November ballot. I’ll try to get more details.

Yesterday’s Board of Supes meeting was, in fact, chock full of action. In addition to the denial of the 3400 Cesar Chavez appeal:

1. Muni reform was put on the ballot. The result of some serious negotiations with labor, Aaron Peskin’s Muni reform charter amendment went on the ballot.
2. The resolution to temporarily halt construction at the Hunters Point shipyard for further health testing was defeated after many hours of testimony. The Chronicle has an oddly framed article about the hearing.
3. Consideration of SNAFU’s appeal of the wi-fi categorical exemption was delayed until September, since Earthlink has still not responded to Peskin’s requests for amendments to the proposed deal. There is plenty of speculation about this, inlcuding the possibility that Newsom may put the wi-fi deal on the ballot (he has until Friday, apparently).

Yesterday’s hearing on SNAFU’s wi-fi appeal was continued (in other words, delayed) for a weektwo weeks. Therefore, today’s budget committee hearing on the deal has also been delayed a week. EDIT: But see comments for actual goings-on.

At the Board of Supervisors meeting today they’ll hear an appeal from SNAFU (the San Francisco Neighborhood Antenna-Free Union). SNAFU is appealing the Planning Department’s decision that the Earthlink municipal wi-fi network does not need an environmental impact report.

Saturday’s Chronicle reports that there’s movement on the EarthLink wi-fi deal.

Aaron Peskin, president of San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors, gave qualified support Friday to Mayor Gavin Newsom’s proposal for free, citywide Internet access — signaling the mayor’s long-delayed initiative could finally be passed by the board with some modifications.

The Newsom administration proposed a free Wi-Fi system two years ago and has negotiated a contract with EarthLink to provide it. The company, which formed a partnership with Google to pursue the deal, would pay the city $2 million over four years in exchange for building, owning and maintaining a network strung across city light poles.

Will the iPhone make muni wi-fi networks actually profitable? No municipal wireless network has yet been profitable. But will the people who are willing to pay $600 for a phone be willing to kick in $25/month extra to make it actually work? Apparently the EDGE connection sucks, and there’s no organized plan to get users wi-fi access. A municipal network would meet some of these guys’ needs.

The SF Labor Council sponsored a Labor School and the graduation was tonight. Josue Arguelles, organizer for Pride At Work, graduated tonight. Congrats Josue!!!

Pictured: Michael Theriault, Secretary-Treasurer, SF Building Trades, Conny Ford, Vice-President, SF Labor Council, and Josue Arguelles

Pictured: SF Labor Council Graduates