Earthlink Muni Wifi: Did I misinterpret capitalism for altruism?
I just read Katie Fehrenbacher’s post on GigaOm about free muni wifi no longer being afforded in New Orleans. I want to start by saying that the original signal I received from Earthlink was that they were coming into New Orleans to help the city rebuild. I didn’t feel that they were being led by business motives, because if Katrina hadn’t happened, would Earthlink be so interested in New Orleans? I don’t think so. I understand that Earthlink needs to make money off the deal, but my understanding was that the free service would help New Orleans, and the paid service would help Earthlink.
Now that Earthlink is gearing-up its services, and New Orleans is removing its existing services to make room for the new system, I can’t help but take a closer look at what’s really happening here. I hate to feel like I’m looking a gift horse in the mouth, and so what I really need to decide is whether or not my first feelings about Earthlink were accurate.
Again, the signal I got was that Earthlink was coming into New Orleans after Katrina to help to city. That’s accurate. In order for Earthlink to sustain they need to offer a paid service. That’s accurate and understandable, however, the free service has a timeline attached to it. We may have known this from the beginning, but it has always been a vague point. I can see where Earthlink may feel the need to tread lightly here, because who knows what the future of New Orleans looks like, but for everyone living here, failure is not an option. So, failure should not be an option for Earthlink.
In other words, if New Orleans is thriving and rebuilding then Earthlink will be right there with us with free and paid services. But if New Orleans begins to languish, Earthlink will pull the free service right when the city may need it the most. That’s what vagueness leaves us open to.
Earthlink holds the power, and can make decisions in their best interest and not in the interest of New Orleans. And that’s it, right there. The Earthlink story started where Earthlink seemed socially responsible, generous and in New Orleans for New Orleans and not themselves. Now, it seems, this is no longer the case, and hasn’t been all along.
I would hate to think that Earthlink used New Orleans to test the business model for building out muni wifis (i.e. cheap labor, disaster publicity, etc.). If I’m right, Earthlink saw an opportunity to build a network cheaply and with limited legal obstacles and took it. If I’m wrong, then Earthlink planned to come to New Orleans with or without Katrina and un-wire our fair city.
What do you think? bk