Editor's Note: Ryan Peters joins the Record-Eagle as our new technology columnist. He will appear monthly in the Business section.
In Michigan's state-wide challenge of recruiting new industry, Traverse City really needs to differentiate itself if it wants to compete and boost the local economy. A wireless downtown business district with a technologically competitive infrastructure is a great place to start.
One possible option is a low-cost mesh Wi-Fi network developed by California-based Meraki, a leader in Wi-Fi networking for municipalities.
"To change the economics of access around the world, there needs to be a simple, efficient and inexpensive method of extending Wi-Fi signals across large outdoor areas," said Sanjit Biswas, Meraki's co-founder and CEO. Meraki landed on the map after being discovered by the conquistador-like firm of Sequoia Capital. The technology was developed under "The Roofnet Project," and the doctoral thesis was carried out in the playful laboratories of MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence department.
Mesh technology has been thoroughly tested for rapid deployment, mobility and healing connectivity capabilities. Google currently uses Meraki to boost connectivity for their main campus in Mountain View, Calif. The repeaters are extremely durable, even waterproof, and offered in either solar or AC power supplies.
Climate-wise, Meraki is TC-friendly; the repeaters remain fully functional even when in their ice-blown cocoons. Antarctica research stations depend on mesh networks to relay research data to and around the South Pole. The technology's architecture replicates that of a grape vine. Each repeater (node) represents a grape on the vine that transmits the Wi-Fi service to the surrounding user community. The workload (bandwidth) is balanced across the nodes for managed performance.
A potential project scope would include a Phase 1 to light up the core of downtown, starting at the corner of Front and Union streets forming a rectangle with State and Boardman streets. Phase 2 would further expand the downtown coverage grid south to Eighth Street. Phase 3 could cover the shoreline from the NMC Hagerty Center to Harbor West Marina. The overall coverage area would be one square mile. Deployment is fast, averaging under a month. Node balancing is easily adjusted to user's traffic level demands.
The city of Ann Arbor recently joined this low-cost wireless movement.
Michigan's local government is grappling with ways to creatively lure out-of-state industry to "Call Michigan Home." This is as much a local responsibility as it is for Gov. Jennifer Granholm. The state's local 2008 growth industry recruitment audience includes energy and information technology, advanced manufacturing, capital market development and life sciences. It's up to us to carve out our niche and start corralling the prospects.
Compared to other regions across the state, northwest Michigan is relatively insulated. The surrounding state topography positions Traverse City well for strategic infrastructure investments. Through smart urban planning and development, the city can aspire to be a top location for doing business in Michigan. Our regions' natural resources provide huge privilege; it's time to leverage our surroundings.
I'm a believer that community collaboration always wins.
Ryan Peters is a technology journalist who can be found online at http://contactryan.wordpress.com
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