Wi-Fi’s Promise and Broadband Divides:
Reconfiguring Public Internet Access in Austin, Texas

The following is an excerpt from the final report.

Martha Fuentes-Bautista
Department of Radio TV Film, The University of Texas at Austin
m.fuentes@mail.utexas.edu
Nobuya Inagaki
Department of Radio TV Film, The University of Texas at Austin
inagaki@mail.utexas.edu

(Revised on October 4, 2005)

We would like to express our thanks to the Telecommunication and Information Policy Institute (TIPI) of the University of Texas at Austin for funding this research.

ABSTRACT

Although the Unlicensed National Information Infrastructure (UNII) has been identified as a strategic component of policies aiming at achieving universal broadband by 2007, few studies have explored how the rollout of public wireless broadband networks are delivering the promise of high-speed services for all. Through a multi-method case study approach, this paper delves into some of these key issues by examining the process of configuration of public Wi-Fi networks in Austin, Texas. Austin is one of the most “unwired” cities in the U.S., and increasingly known as a world-class industrial center in wireless. Our assessment of Austin’s public Wi-Fi landscape reveals that the opportunities opened by the unlicensed spectrum are materializing in two different directions. On the one hand, we found evidence of proliferation of new spaces for high-speed connectivity in the city, leading to more commercial activities and innovations benefiting the local economy. On the other hand, public Wi-Fi networks are growing in an uneven fashion, further enhancing connectivity in commercial areas and more affluent areas while leaving behind the underserved population living in less affluent neighborhoods of the city. The presence of a critical mass of early adopters, strong network collaboration between private, public and non-profit organizations, and the spillover effects of Austin tech economy are identified as main factors behind the growth of public WiFi in the city. The legacy of anti-munitelecom laws, the predominance of the commercial, venue-sponsored model, and the lack of clear solutions to extend connectivity in low-income areas are preventing the use of public Wi-Fi for enhancing access in poorer areas of the city.

Complete PDF document here.