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
Showing posts with label wifi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wifi. Show all posts
Thursday, May 08, 2008
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
What part of "NO, THANK YOU" don't you understand?
Well it seems like our old friend E-Path is back on the agenda for City Council again.
According to Jim Coston's blog the CEO of this company that is desperate to build a city-wide WiFi mesh here in Trenton will visit Council and listen to their questions.
Questions, by the way, that the Palmer Administration has asked be submitted to them by Friday.
Ok, Mr. Pintella and Ms. Staton; Ms. Feigenbaum and Mr. Gonzalez; Douglas and Renee; in case you didn't get it the first few times we ran this by you:
These are facts, plain and simple.
Knowing and understanding all of the above, please tell us why the cash-strapped City of Trenton should commit to a contract with company that hasn't and probably won't build the system to deliver the services specified in the contract?
If you all are so damn sure that this will fly...let E-Path build the system and demonstrate it's total functionality and reliability. Then, and only then, should you have reason to come before Council and request approval of a contract for services.
Got it?
According to Jim Coston's blog the CEO of this company that is desperate to build a city-wide WiFi mesh here in Trenton will visit Council and listen to their questions.
Questions, by the way, that the Palmer Administration has asked be submitted to them by Friday.
Ok, Mr. Pintella and Ms. Staton; Ms. Feigenbaum and Mr. Gonzalez; Douglas and Renee; in case you didn't get it the first few times we ran this by you:
Municipal WiFi models have yet to live up to their hype and promise.
E-Path has yet to deliver a system anywhere (read this or this -- including the comments or this).
Larger, more advanced and experienced corporations with deeper pockets have pulled out of the Municipal WiFi market.
These are facts, plain and simple.
Knowing and understanding all of the above, please tell us why the cash-strapped City of Trenton should commit to a contract with company that hasn't and probably won't build the system to deliver the services specified in the contract?
If you all are so damn sure that this will fly...let E-Path build the system and demonstrate it's total functionality and reliability. Then, and only then, should you have reason to come before Council and request approval of a contract for services.
Got it?
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
April foolishness
Trenton's wayward administration is still at it.
On the docket again this week is a resolution to enter into a $250,000 contract for services with E-Path Communications. E-Path, you will recall, is the small, Florida-based company who wants to build a city-wide WiFi mesh in Trenton. They promised they would do this at "no cost" to the taxpayers. The costs of building and maintaining the system will be paid for by selling access and services to government entities.
Enter the $250,000 contract with Trenton.
The "free" construction and implementation of the network is dependent upon having paying customers. E-Path is essentially asking the City of Trenton to commit to buying access to the (as yet unbuilt) system. With a signed contract in hand, we presume E-Path's management will then try to leverage that deferred income into financing for this project...and probably the yet to be completed system they are supposed to be building on Long Island in New York state.
Today's city council conference session is to include another presentation by the Wizards of WiFi from E-Path as they desperately try to make their case for the city to grant this contract.
We've said it before and we say it again...No, Thank You!
No doubt there will also be talk about the Mayor's request that Council amend the city's current residency ordinance to allow exceptions and waivers.
Haven't we been over this before?
If council had wanted to amend the residency ordinance to allow exceptions and waivers, wouldn't they have done so before entering into a law suit on the side of the citizens who wanted the law upheld? Would they/should they have spent all that money on legal representation to fight the Mayor only to turn around and acquiesce to his child-like demands of "My Way! My Way!"
Doug Palmer and his administration need to stop all of this foolishness right now.
No WiFi. No amendment to the residency ordinance.
This is not about you, Doug Palmer, and not about "defining moments" of your time as Mayor.
This is about common sense and doing the right thing for the City as a whole. Stop worrying about running around the country trying to line up your next step and take care of business here in Trenton.
When and if you come back to work for the people you claim gave you a mandate, I'd suggest leaving your ego at home with your pettiness and your spoiled brat tantrums. Accept that you don't have all the answers and the ones you do have aren't always right.
If that doesn't suit you, then step aside and let those who truly care about the people who live and work in Trenton take charge and stop this nonsense.
On the docket again this week is a resolution to enter into a $250,000 contract for services with E-Path Communications. E-Path, you will recall, is the small, Florida-based company who wants to build a city-wide WiFi mesh in Trenton. They promised they would do this at "no cost" to the taxpayers. The costs of building and maintaining the system will be paid for by selling access and services to government entities.
Enter the $250,000 contract with Trenton.
The "free" construction and implementation of the network is dependent upon having paying customers. E-Path is essentially asking the City of Trenton to commit to buying access to the (as yet unbuilt) system. With a signed contract in hand, we presume E-Path's management will then try to leverage that deferred income into financing for this project...and probably the yet to be completed system they are supposed to be building on Long Island in New York state.
Today's city council conference session is to include another presentation by the Wizards of WiFi from E-Path as they desperately try to make their case for the city to grant this contract.
We've said it before and we say it again...No, Thank You!
No doubt there will also be talk about the Mayor's request that Council amend the city's current residency ordinance to allow exceptions and waivers.
Haven't we been over this before?
If council had wanted to amend the residency ordinance to allow exceptions and waivers, wouldn't they have done so before entering into a law suit on the side of the citizens who wanted the law upheld? Would they/should they have spent all that money on legal representation to fight the Mayor only to turn around and acquiesce to his child-like demands of "My Way! My Way!"
Doug Palmer and his administration need to stop all of this foolishness right now.
No WiFi. No amendment to the residency ordinance.
This is not about you, Doug Palmer, and not about "defining moments" of your time as Mayor.
This is about common sense and doing the right thing for the City as a whole. Stop worrying about running around the country trying to line up your next step and take care of business here in Trenton.
When and if you come back to work for the people you claim gave you a mandate, I'd suggest leaving your ego at home with your pettiness and your spoiled brat tantrums. Accept that you don't have all the answers and the ones you do have aren't always right.
If that doesn't suit you, then step aside and let those who truly care about the people who live and work in Trenton take charge and stop this nonsense.
Thursday, March 06, 2008
Are you listening, Council?
Earthlink has halted all of its work in Muni-WiFi systems and is officially pulling out of the as yet uncompleted Philadelphia network after three years. Why are we contemplating a "commitment" to a $250,000 contract with a small, unknown company with even less of a track record?
We already have Automatic Vehicle Locators in our Police Vehicles. Why are we soliciting bids for a new system?
The CitySide housing units are a fiasco. Why give a second thought to helping the owners bail out of their self-made mess with City financing, PILOTs, and property swaps?
Our Civilian Police Director does not live in the city as required by law (you said so yourselves with your vote in December), took sick days Monday and Tuesday and yet appeared before the Plainfield City Council Monday night. (Remember back in December when you chastised him for not being present and accessible to you and the citizens?) Why don't you go all the way and terminate his employment by the city?
The Administration has actively pursued and fired employees for non-residency, even when they've maintained an apartment in town and only lived away on weekends. Why are you allowing Communications Director Irving Bradley to split his residency?
Personnel Director Raisa Walker, presumably under oath, stated in July of 2006 that the City of Trenton had not issued any residency waivers to any employees in six years. Business Administrator Jane Feigenbaum stated in January of that same year that Mr. Santiago had been granted a residency waiver. These statements clearly contradict one another. What are you going to do about it?
The city is broke and broken. We need you to stop the stupid, illegal and wasteful spending and start repairing the civic infrastructure.
We already have Automatic Vehicle Locators in our Police Vehicles. Why are we soliciting bids for a new system?
The CitySide housing units are a fiasco. Why give a second thought to helping the owners bail out of their self-made mess with City financing, PILOTs, and property swaps?
Our Civilian Police Director does not live in the city as required by law (you said so yourselves with your vote in December), took sick days Monday and Tuesday and yet appeared before the Plainfield City Council Monday night. (Remember back in December when you chastised him for not being present and accessible to you and the citizens?) Why don't you go all the way and terminate his employment by the city?
The Administration has actively pursued and fired employees for non-residency, even when they've maintained an apartment in town and only lived away on weekends. Why are you allowing Communications Director Irving Bradley to split his residency?
Personnel Director Raisa Walker, presumably under oath, stated in July of 2006 that the City of Trenton had not issued any residency waivers to any employees in six years. Business Administrator Jane Feigenbaum stated in January of that same year that Mr. Santiago had been granted a residency waiver. These statements clearly contradict one another. What are you going to do about it?
The city is broke and broken. We need you to stop the stupid, illegal and wasteful spending and start repairing the civic infrastructure.
Sunday, March 02, 2008
Take a hike, E-Path
Southward Councilman Jim Coston reported the following on his February 27 blog entry:
Let it be pointed out that those of us gathered on the front stoop said all along that this was most likely the case. The City of Trenton was being asked to commit to this contract so that it could help E-Path secure funding to do the job.
The City of Trenton doesn’t need to commit to anything. E-Path said they could do this on their own. Trenton should not agree to anything further until a system is up and running and its capabilities have been thoroughly demonstrated.
The administration can back pedal, sing, dance and spin this any way it wants but one fact remains clear: without a commitment of City money, E-Path will not build this unproven, unneeded network.
And the word from the stoop is still “No.”
Bye-bye, E-Path.
E-Path. A copy of the resolution from last November granting E-Path "right-of-way" is on the Articles of Interest page. The $250,000 contract that was pulled from the docket last week had some contingencies as part of it. I am told that it amounted to nothing more than a guarantee that the City would pay $250,000 to E-Path for wireless network service once the network was built, not before. The guarantee is to help E-Path secure a loan to actually build the thing.
This course[sic] begs its own questions. Why can't E-Path get its own financing without locking the City into a deal? Why wasn't Council given a copy of the contract? What has E-Path been doing since it got "right-of-way" several months ago? The biggest question, the one that most concerns me, centers on their track record heretofore.
Let it be pointed out that those of us gathered on the front stoop said all along that this was most likely the case. The City of Trenton was being asked to commit to this contract so that it could help E-Path secure funding to do the job.
The City of Trenton doesn’t need to commit to anything. E-Path said they could do this on their own. Trenton should not agree to anything further until a system is up and running and its capabilities have been thoroughly demonstrated.
The administration can back pedal, sing, dance and spin this any way it wants but one fact remains clear: without a commitment of City money, E-Path will not build this unproven, unneeded network.
And the word from the stoop is still “No.”
Bye-bye, E-Path.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Let them build it, then we'll come
This Thursday’s city council meeting is another “double-header” with the docket review conference session scheduled for four in the afternoon and the regular council meeting immediately following (the schedule says 5:30, but we know better).
On the docket is this interesting item:
Now if memory serves, when this was brought up back in November the administration said that there would be no cost to the city to build this system. Trenton would just pay for the services it used.
In fact, in an article in the Trentonian at the time, Mayor Douglas Palmer was quoted as saying,
If the system is not available to us, why are we authorizing a contract for services with them unless that capital is needed to help fund the installation? And if that’s the case, then the council and the people of Trenton were lied to yet again by Douglas H. Palmer.
Let’s face it, we knew all along the only way this young company from Florida was going to be able to launch this project was with the promise of a contract for services from the city, and probably with similar contracts from the county and state to follow suit.
What happens if we don’t approve this contract? Does E-Path lose its funding for the project and the whole thing just go away…”at no cost to the city?”
What happens if we do approve this contract? Will we start making payments to E-Path prior to service being provided? What happens in the likelihood they never get the system built? Will we then have incurred a “cost to the city?”
You know, Verizon is working hard to get areas of the city wired for its highly touted FIOS system. They are taking on the expense of designing and installing the system before they take any money from subscribers to the service.
Why are we being asked to contract with E-Path communications now unless it is to partially underwrite their proposed system? A system, as we’ve pointed out previously, that is most likely doomed to fail.
Once again, we need to ask our council to exercise common sense and fiscal controls by not approving this handout to E-Path Communications.
Build the system, demonstrate that it works, and then come see me about subscribing to it.
Is that too hard to understand?
On the docket is this interesting item:
5. NEW BUSINESS
5ar - RESOLUTION AWARDING A CONTRACT THROUGH COMPETITIVE CONTRACTING TO E-PATH COMMUNICATIONS, INC., 5110 EISENHOWER BOULEVARD, SUITE 300, TAMPA, FL 33634 FOR THE FURNISHING AND DELIVERY OF WIRELESS FIDELITY “WIFI” AND WIRELESS 4.9 GHZ INTERNET SERVICES FOR THE CITY OF TRENTON. (In an amount not to exceed $250,000)
Now if memory serves, when this was brought up back in November the administration said that there would be no cost to the city to build this system. Trenton would just pay for the services it used.
In fact, in an article in the Trentonian at the time, Mayor Douglas Palmer was quoted as saying,
“In addition, E-Path will build, at no cost to the city, a separate, secure, dedicated network, that the city will use for police, fire and emergency services, communications and all other city services.”So, has E-Path miraculously been able to install test and make operational its wi-fi system in three months time? We don’t think so.
If the system is not available to us, why are we authorizing a contract for services with them unless that capital is needed to help fund the installation? And if that’s the case, then the council and the people of Trenton were lied to yet again by Douglas H. Palmer.
Let’s face it, we knew all along the only way this young company from Florida was going to be able to launch this project was with the promise of a contract for services from the city, and probably with similar contracts from the county and state to follow suit.
What happens if we don’t approve this contract? Does E-Path lose its funding for the project and the whole thing just go away…”at no cost to the city?”
What happens if we do approve this contract? Will we start making payments to E-Path prior to service being provided? What happens in the likelihood they never get the system built? Will we then have incurred a “cost to the city?”
You know, Verizon is working hard to get areas of the city wired for its highly touted FIOS system. They are taking on the expense of designing and installing the system before they take any money from subscribers to the service.
Why are we being asked to contract with E-Path communications now unless it is to partially underwrite their proposed system? A system, as we’ve pointed out previously, that is most likely doomed to fail.
Once again, we need to ask our council to exercise common sense and fiscal controls by not approving this handout to E-Path Communications.
Build the system, demonstrate that it works, and then come see me about subscribing to it.
Is that too hard to understand?
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Wi Fi Fo Fum...
On Tuesday Trenton's City Council will be on the receiving end of a presentation from the would be provider of a city wide WiFi wireless network.
Mayor Palmer touted this in his recent State of the City address so we might assume, judging from past experience, that the Mayor considers this all but a done deal. In fact, recent history tells us that if the administration wants it and City Council approval is required, so it shall be.
Of course the vendor-to-be will put its best face on and sell lots of sizzle to Council. Business Administrator (and part-time city resident) Jane Feigenbaum will note all the positives that adopting this technology will bring to city services. Non-resident Police Director Joseph Santiago, in his appearance before Council next-week, will no doubt tout the benefits of a City-wide wireless network to improve policing (like surveillance cameras that work?). To be sure, a strong case will be made for adopting this technology as a way to help bridge the "technology gap" between Trenton residents.
While these arguments and benefits need to be weighed, so too should the facts and experiences of other municipalities around the country who are considering WiFi networks as well.
The facts are pretty clear to even the least techno-savvy layman: the technology is not yet sufficient to provide a low-cost, wide-spread, consistent network. The cost of installation and maintenance are not insignificant and too high for most municipal governments to bear alone. For an outside vendor to provide cost-effective, profitable service the system must be supported either by advertising, subscription/access fees or some combination of both.
In neighboring Hamilton Township, there is free public access to wireless internet in Veterans Park. Before you can log-in you have to register (for marketing purposes) and there are ads on the access home page. And this is just to cover the costs of providing access in one limited area of the township.
Just downriver, Philadelphia's ambitious plan to provide wireless internet access across the city has been a less than glowing success. Some residents still haven't been able to achieve proper connectivity and Earthlink, Philly's service provider, has actually regrouped and stopped bidding on contracts elsewhere as they seek a build a better business model.
Before any decisions are made whether or not to approve a wireless internet package for Trenton, the contract should be reviewed thoroughly by an independent consultant. Of course, this won't happen.
The Palmer administration has already reportedly turned down on offer from a professional consultant (and city resident) to review any proposals from interested vendors. Admittedly the consultant is a frequent critic of the way the city goes about its business, but is that really a reason to turn down free, qualified help?
Lacking any real due diligence on the part of the Mayor's hand picked henchmen (and women), it is up to the members of City Council to do their own homework.
We should all encourage our elected representatives to study not only the "facts" placed in front of them but to also research how other municipalities are approaching this technological frontier? City Council has the resources and the responsibility to gather the facts independent of those spoon fed them by the administration.
...this may be an idea who's time has not yet come.
Mayor Palmer touted this in his recent State of the City address so we might assume, judging from past experience, that the Mayor considers this all but a done deal. In fact, recent history tells us that if the administration wants it and City Council approval is required, so it shall be.
Of course the vendor-to-be will put its best face on and sell lots of sizzle to Council. Business Administrator (and part-time city resident) Jane Feigenbaum will note all the positives that adopting this technology will bring to city services. Non-resident Police Director Joseph Santiago, in his appearance before Council next-week, will no doubt tout the benefits of a City-wide wireless network to improve policing (like surveillance cameras that work?). To be sure, a strong case will be made for adopting this technology as a way to help bridge the "technology gap" between Trenton residents.
While these arguments and benefits need to be weighed, so too should the facts and experiences of other municipalities around the country who are considering WiFi networks as well.
The facts are pretty clear to even the least techno-savvy layman: the technology is not yet sufficient to provide a low-cost, wide-spread, consistent network. The cost of installation and maintenance are not insignificant and too high for most municipal governments to bear alone. For an outside vendor to provide cost-effective, profitable service the system must be supported either by advertising, subscription/access fees or some combination of both.
In neighboring Hamilton Township, there is free public access to wireless internet in Veterans Park. Before you can log-in you have to register (for marketing purposes) and there are ads on the access home page. And this is just to cover the costs of providing access in one limited area of the township.
Just downriver, Philadelphia's ambitious plan to provide wireless internet access across the city has been a less than glowing success. Some residents still haven't been able to achieve proper connectivity and Earthlink, Philly's service provider, has actually regrouped and stopped bidding on contracts elsewhere as they seek a build a better business model.
Before any decisions are made whether or not to approve a wireless internet package for Trenton, the contract should be reviewed thoroughly by an independent consultant. Of course, this won't happen.
The Palmer administration has already reportedly turned down on offer from a professional consultant (and city resident) to review any proposals from interested vendors. Admittedly the consultant is a frequent critic of the way the city goes about its business, but is that really a reason to turn down free, qualified help?
Lacking any real due diligence on the part of the Mayor's hand picked henchmen (and women), it is up to the members of City Council to do their own homework.
We should all encourage our elected representatives to study not only the "facts" placed in front of them but to also research how other municipalities are approaching this technological frontier? City Council has the resources and the responsibility to gather the facts independent of those spoon fed them by the administration.
...this may be an idea who's time has not yet come.
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