Last week I covered "Why 500k?" This week I'll cover, "Why 84k for free?"

When Washtenaw County put together the Wireless Washtenaw Request for Proposal (RFP), it stipulated the winner of the bid would provide a slower but free WiFi service to county residents. In exchange 20/20 would obtain access to County, Township, City and Village assets to install its equipment for the project.

84kbps is roughly twice the speed of what Ann Arbor dial-up customers currently receive at a price ranging from $10 to $25/month. In Rural areas, where old phone lines and switches are still prevalent, 84k is closer to four (4) times faster than dial-up. Where I live in Dexter Township, I was barely getting 22kbps when dialing in to Yahoo.

People who use dial-up do so for a variety of reasons including:

• Need for Internet access is minimal
• High speed cable or satellite connections are cost prohibitive
• It's the only game in town (as in the rural areas)

Now I know, to people like me who have made Internet access an integral part of their lives, it seems unfathomable to think there are still those who can get by with just checking the web once/month. But trust me, there are and will be for a long time. My sister is one of them.

If your Internet needs are simple such as:

• Email without many attachments
• An occasional visit to a newspaper
• A search for a restaurant phone number

The free 84kbps service will more than meet your needs.

Second, its no secret Michigan's economy is not what we all would like it to be. The average cost of cable broadband Internet without TV services and incentives is about $50/month or $600/year. That's a high price to pay if you're out of a job or had to take a job at a third of your previous salary after being downsized (I believe a local firm called it Adjustment to Scale).

The free 84k service gives those in a financial bind a way to access the net, apply for employment or access important medical websites while lowering monthly bills.

Having said all that, I know the real question is "Why ONLY 84k for free?" Especially since 20/20 receives money for advertising.

This update is already long enough. I'll address that next week.

20/20 Communications was selected by Washtenaw County to provide county wide Wireless Internet access.

There are four (4) phases to Wireless Washtenaw:

• Pilot
• Pre-deployment
• Deployment
• Customer acquisition and retention

The phases will begin to overlap as portions of them are completed throughout the county.

The project is currently in the twelfth week of the Pilot Phase. The pilot is scheduled through February.

If you have questions or would like to register for the service when it's in your area, visit our Wireless Washtenaw registration website