Plan For Cheap, Free Internet In L.A. Gets Disconnected

LOS ANGELES, CA — A bold plan to bring free or low-cost wireless internet access to every residence and business in Los Angeles hit a roadblock Friday, as the city has rejected all of the proposals from companies that submitted bids on the project, Councilman Bob Blumenfield said.

"While I was disappointed with the outcome of the RFP, I am still optimistic that a win-win public-private partnership can be forged that will help propel us to our connectivity goals," Blumenfield said.

The plan, called CityLinkLA, was launched in 2014 by Mayor Eric Garcetti and Blumenfield, and the city put out a request for proposals in 2015.

The goal of the program is to provide basic internet access to all for free or at a very low cost and one gigabit or higher speed access at competitive rates.

In return, the internet providers would get access to city-owned assets and incentives, such as bulk lease rates on the Department of Water and Power's fiber network and street lights where Wi-Fi equipment can be placed, as well as placement on city properties and facilities.

"Though none of the proposals adequately addressed the need for better access and free wireless connectivity for the entire city, we will continue to explore solutions with companies large and small for greater connectivity and to ultimately make universal access a reality while properly leveraging city assets for the most public good," Blumenfield said.

"This was the objective of the RFP, which will continue to be pursued. Los Angeles is open for business and we look forward to developing new partnerships and continuing to build the CityLinkLA initiative."

— City News Service, photo via Pixabay