Wireless citizens and the wireless city: Public wi-fi as renewed public investment in communication infrastructure Chris K Wilson & Ian McShane RMIT Centre for Urban Research

outline 1.Describe the recent development of public wi-fi by the Victorian state government 2.Situate the State of Victoria’s engagement in the context of domestic and international practice, as well as domestic policy 3.Why a wireless city movement? –Wi-fi techno-regulation and deployment advantages of city governments –Government rationales - more wireless citizens than wireless consumer 2

Victorian public wi-fi Public Private Partnership (State/Local & iiNet) –29 Oct - iiNet to build and operate (election 29 Nov) –$6.7 million grant for 5 year trial –250 megabytes/day –No advertising, no data mining (collecting personal data) 3

Victorian public wi-fi: Melbourne CBD 4

Victorian public wi-fi 5

a wireless city movement? Brisbane: parks initiative, 2010/11 ($2m); extended to selected CBD, 2014; blanket coverage aim, June 2015 ($1.1m) Perth: CBD wi-fi, November 2013: ($300k installation; $150k per annum to maintain and extend) Adelaide: AdelaideFree CBD network, June 2014 ($1.5m state/local). Canberra: CBRfree CBD, October 2014 to be extended to selected commercial centres ($4m) Goulburn: TGG Community wi-fi network, March 2013 (community contribution plus $9k council) International activity: Wave 1: 2000s, Wave 2: 2010s 6

wireless cities & Australian communication policy TWO communication policy issues raised by city wi-fi: 1. Wasn’t the Australian government getting out of telecommunications provision and concentrating on overseeing a de-regulated market? – Partial Full competition ( ) – Telstra privatisation ( ) – NBN natural monopoly response to market failure (2007) – wi-fi vs 3G/4G (competition) 2. Since when did local and state governments get involved in telecommunications service provision? – Constitution – S.51(v) Postal, telegraphic, telephonic, and other like services – State and municipal library internet provision So what lies beneath the wireless city movement? 7

wi-fi and city government infrastructure Licence-exempt spectrum Universal Low power Cheap Fast Expandable (mesh, not backbone-hub-spoke) Roaming

wireless cities and wireless citizens

civic governance equity & digital inclusion service & infrastructure efficiencies civic engagement & community building economic development & local innovation safety & security inter-urban competitiveness (tourism, investment) 10

criticism of investment quality of service unsustainable business models mismatch with user needs risk (financial, regulatory) limited evaluation