By Johna Till Johnson and Johna Till Johnson, Network World, 06/20/05

A few weeks ago, the city of Philadelphia closed the RFP process for its much-ballyhooed municipal Wi-Fi network. With 12 bids in hand, the city plans to begin construction around September.

But the fight's not over.

Last August , Philadelphia announced plans to invest up to $15 million into a citywide 802.11b/g network to offer low-cost broadband Internet access to residents.

Predictably, the Bells fought back fiercely, railroading a bill through the state legislature forbidding political entities such as local governments from providing telecom services for a fee. Public outcry ensued, and the city obtained a waiver to the act, letting it proceed with municipal Wi-Fi.