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Cambridge, Mass. to get free Wi-Fi

Marguerite Reardon Former senior reporter
Marguerite Reardon started as a CNET News reporter in 2004, covering cellphone services, broadband, citywide Wi-Fi, the Net neutrality debate and the consolidation of the phone companies.
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Marguerite Reardon

The city of Cambridge, Mass. is the latest in a long line of cities to set plans for free Wi-Fi throughout the city.

Through a partnership with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology the city will get free Wi-Fi access for its 100,000 residents by summer. The city hopes that this plan will help bridge the digital divide and give low income residents living in public housing the opportunity to get broadband access. The city will work with businesses to obtain donated or discounted computers.

Cambridge is just the latest city to embrace the citywide Wi-Fi movement. Philadelphia, San Francisco and New Orleans also plan to build Wi-Fi networks. Philadelphia has partnered with EarthLink. San Francisco and New Orleans are still developing plans, but both cities have indicated they'd like to provide free Wi-Fi to residents. New York City is also looking into whether or not a citywide Wi-Fi network should be built.