High speed internet access

High speed internet access | Technical objectives for a WiFi network in Auckland

Technical objectives for a WiFi network in Auckland

These objectives were outlined in detail in Auckland City Council's Request for Information (RFI) for potential partners on this project. The council hopes to obtain key information and gain further insight into the feasibility of the project. The responses to this RFI will contribute to the council business case for this project.

Outdoor and public open space only and at street level.

Symmetric and high speed: The council expects that the network will support a 2Mb per second and symmetric broadband service in the area of coverage within the footprint of each "hot spot".

Not free except specified sites: The council is not expecting that this network will provide any free access other than to a set of well-specified, definitive list of websites that provide public good. The final list is open to discussions and negotiations in due course.

Open access: The WiFi network is open access, both technically and commercially.

Industrial strength, resilient and scalable: The proposed WiFi network will be designed and built to be of industrial strength, be resilient to exposures from extremes of weather and be scaleable.

Not pervasive nor supporting mobility: A well-planned series of "WiFi Hot Spots" rather than blanket coverage will maximises use of the network. It will not support any mobility i.e. persistent connection as the user moves from the coverage of one hot spot to another. However the network should have the ability to support roaming between the hot spots without being forced to use different credentials.

Support for multiple domains: The network will support different "domains" of users (e.g. secure access by business users versus open access for public users at large). This shall include the ability to define and manage different profiles (e.g. VLANs) for authentication, encryption and other service characteristics based on the requirements of each user-domain.

Ability to prioritise: The network will ideally support the ability to prioritise traffic for some uses to enable it to be considered for significant public safety applications over time.

Aesthetics: Auckland City Council is looking to demonstrate world-class integration of modern technology in streetscape and urban design. The council considers the following principles in relation to the location of wireless equipment at this time.
- Visibility (extent to which equipment is visible in locality); public places and private property
- Viewing audience (in relation to Auckland city population)
- Visual impact (in relation to streetscape character and quality and significant views); from public places, from private properties
- Other landscape impacts; public safety and convenience, heritage zones, buildings and objects, cultural associations.

Published July 2007