OK, I am not too sure that out of all the needs the Big Easy is requiring that free wireless Internet is going to be all that well received. Then again, free Internet is nothing to frown at I suppose…

Mayor Ray Nagin made the announcement at a late morning news conference.

Similar projects elsewhere have been stalled by stiff opposition from telephone and cable television companies aimed at discouraging competition from public agencies.

Nagin said the system started operation Tuesday in the central Business District and the French Quarter. It is to be available throughout the city in about a year.

The system uses hardware mounted on street lights to cover the city. [Read the rest]

[tags]big easy,no,new orleans,free wifi[/tags]