In the debate over citywide Wi-Fi networks, one place to tune in for more coverage is the Community Wireless blog, started by NYCwireless executive director Dana Spiegel. As most of you probably already know, NYCwireless is a non-profit organization that advocates for and enables the growth of public wireless networks. (In fact, the first time that I ever connected to a public wireless network, it was through a free wireless node provided by NYCwireless.)

The Resident recently ran a piece on citywide wireless networks and what they might mean for New York. For anyone who thinks that New York City is already a wireless wonderland, here's one statistic that jumped out:

"About 60 percent of New York City doesn’t make use of broadband, and 90 percent of low-income people have no broadband. The reason for this is that most communities have only access to one or two big providers, and broadband can’t be had in New York for less than $50 a month."

While most people agree that broadband Internet access is turning into a "basic human right" - just like electricity - the debate over wireless Internet access gets nuanced really fast. For example, it appears that NYCwireless is interested in "improving broadband accessibility and affordability, but not making it a public utility." In other words, muni wireless is not the same thing as community wireless, and government involvement in the build-out of a wireless network might do more harm than good if it is not handled properly. Yet, that doesn't mean that government shouldn't be in the business of providing a public good if private sector providers fail to step up to the plate. Singapore, for example, offers an "effective model for how government could get involved," according to muni wireless proponents.