E-Path Phone Home

Delray Beach kills WiFi firm contract
By DON JORDAN

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Tuesday, May 06, 2008

DELRAY BEACH — City commissioners voted Tuesday to terminate a contract with a Tampa company after it failed to move forward on plans to create a citywide WiFi network.

E-Path Communications had until April 18 to set up the free Internet service along Atlantic Avenue in the downtown area, but had not completed any work, according to city officials.

E-Path President and Chief Executive Officer Joseph Tortoretti attributed the delays to a plan to replace numerous Florida Power & Light utility poles in the city next year. E-Path intended to connect its equipment to the poles to provide the service and would be forced to do the work a second time, Tortoretti said.

The contract termination means further delays to the goal of providing the WiFi service, initially scheduled to be in place by last year.

Commissioners said they are committed to providing WiFi, but expressed frustration with E-Path's delays.

"This has been an unfortunate waste of staff time," Commissioner Gary Eliopoulos said.

Can someone call the Palmer Administration and let them know that their pet vendor just got the boot in their own backyard?!?!?

A wave from the front stoop to Hiltonia resident Michael McGrath for pointing out this latest turn of events in the E-Path saga