The Minneapolis City Council approves plan for privately run citywide Wi-Fi network

The Minneapolis City Council decided against creating a city-owned network, citing high startup costs and possible legal exposure.

The Minneapolis City Council approved a plan Friday for a public-private citywide Minneapolis Wi-Fi network, ending a drive by opponents who wanted the city to own the network instead.

The City Council said the public-private plan spares the city from start-up costs and potential legal trouble. Wi-Fi stands for "wireless fidelity," a technology that today allows laptops to reach the Internet in public places such as coffee shops, hotels and airports.

Steve Alexander, Star Tribune

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