Roaming Free, Online

As the home of two major research universities, it’s fitting that Cambridge will be one of the first municipalities to offer free wireless Internet access to its citizens.

Starting this November, Harvard Square will become one giant hotspot of connectivity where anyone can surf the Internet without cost at any time. Following the initiatives of private companies like Google and EarthLink in San Francisco, the Square connectivity initiative will help bring the digital age to those who may not be able to afford a broadband connection. Although the speed of the free connection will not be as high as Harvard’s private network for students and affiliates, it will be much faster than a dial-up connection.

The service will be provided through an innovative mesh network that is cheaper and more efficient than previous technologies because it requires less wiring and has lower installation costs. We welcome Cambridge’s effort, along with Harvard’s active role in it: Three of the new antennas were placed on Harvard-owned buildings. Looking toward the future, we hope that this kind of open access will spark the development of cheaper communication, especially telephony through Internet-based voice over IP (VoIP).

But this is just the latest of the many developments in Cambridge’s technological arena. Cambridge city also hosts a well-designed Web site with detailed descriptions, pictures, and calendars of local events, and even a virtual tour, courtesy of an alliance between the Harvard Square Business Association and EveryScape, a technology start-up. We hope that Cambridge continues to partner with its resident businesses and universities to push the technological envelope in terms of the services it offers its citizens.