Prompt's TechBlog

New Orleans, continuing a trend of cities throughout history that have resurrected themselves after a disaster or war, has decided to offer its citizens and visitors city-wide Wi-Fi. New Orleans was all but destroyed in an enormous hurricane and flood in August of this year.

The move has not been without controversy as BellSouth, which provides internet access to New Orleans, has seen the move by the city as "state sponsored competition". According to city officials, in revenge they have withdrawn their donation to the city of one of their buildings.

The benefits of free Internet access cannot be underestimated. By charging for access, many consumers or start up businesses that wish to go on the Internet will be prevented from doing so. Their access helps the local economy tremendously. If the local government in New Orleans did not have the power of a state of emergency behind them, they may not have been able to get around BellSouth's protests against a free Wi-Fi network. Ironically, the destruction of a city often pulls people together in a way that makes things possible which would never have got off the ground under normal circumstances.

Not that we're advocating the flooding of cities...