Seven bidders are vying to cover all 1,500 square miles of Silicon Valley
with wireless Internet access.

Among the prospective Wi-Fi providers that were able to submit their
proposals before the deadline include MetroFi and Cisco Systems.

MetroFi has a considerable background on municipal Internet systems. It has
already installed networks in several locations in the Bay Area.

Curiously, though, Internet giants EarthLink and Google did not participate
in the bid. Both companies are currently collaborating on a similar venture
in San Francisco.

The other companies who were able to beat the deadline are Community
Wireless, NextWLAN, Fire2Wire, and the Blue Horizon Group.

The Wireless Silicon Valley initiative involves the creation of a vast
wireless system where thousands of transceivers would broadcast Internet
signals from South San Francisco and Fremont to Santa Cruz.

The proponents and supporters of the project are optimistic that the network
would bring desirable results in the covered areas. Among the goals that the
venture aim to achieve include free or low cost Internet access to poor
households, improvement of the public safety workers’ communications system,
and rationalization of city services.

However, skeptics doubt if the winning bidder and the local governments
involved would be able to sustain the network, citing the flaws and problems
that the municipal Wi-Fi systems in Sacramento and St. Cloud, Florida are
encountering.

The bidders have not yet revealed their plans to the public. The winner will
be proclaimed by September 12.