Coulda had a scoop

I got a tip on this this morning and neglected to post it. And now it looks like it's made the news.

Earthlink to build wireless Internet system in New Orleans
01:15 PM CDT on Friday, May 26, 2006
Alan Sayre / Associated Press

Internet service provider EarthLink Inc. has won approval for a wireless Internet network in New Orleans that will be built around a free city-owned system that made its debut last fall in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

Atlanta-based EarthLink said it would offer a free service and a paid, higher-speed service. The company also said it would allow competing Wi-Fi providers to use its network for a price.

Initially, EarthLink's system will cover about 15 square miles of the 181-square mile city, including the downtown business district and the French Quarter, along with other areas that will be decided later, said Bill Tolpegin, EarthLink's vice president of development and planning for municipal networking.

The franchise, approved Thursday by the City Council, covers all of New Orleans, he said.

"As the city grows and recovers, we plan to expand along with that," Tolpegin said in a telephone interview Friday.

The city is not taking down its system. In addition to continuing its current operation, it will provide a dedicated network for first responders to disasters, said Greg Meffert, the city's technology director.

Tolpegin would not disclose a cost for installing the system. The consumer cost of the high-speed service likely would be about $20 per month, he said.

EarthLink hopes to have the system operating in the fall of 2006, Tolpegin said

The city's network, which was put together with $1 million in donated equipment, is the first free wireless Internet network owned and run by a major city. Officials have estimated that the network gets several thousands users a day.....

But now I'm a little confused. The city system will remain in use? Will it duplicate the same service it has contracted out?