Wireless internet may be coming to Onaway
After long discussions at city meetings commissioners gave the go ahead to Internet 2000 to install its wireless internet tower on the city water tower. Internet 2000 would be willing to provide and pay for the use of renting the space on the water tower. Steve VanWieren from Internet 2000 presented the city commissioners a suggested list of three rent scenarios. They are:
1) One location with multi-user capability, $100 service and up to 100 watts of electricity, an additional site with a dial-up account, web page hosting when created.
2) $150 per month with no service but with electricity. 3) $170 per month with no service or electricity.
?I am willing to accept whatever the commission decides,? said VanWieren.
?But affectedly any additional charges beyond what is on my suggested list, I would expect to add as a cost to the services I provide in Onaway, otherwise a ?City of Onaway water tower surcharge,?? said VanWieren.
VanWieren gave as an example that his $2 worth of electricity he would use per month would cost him $20 per month after Presque Isle Electric and Gas added on costs and surcharges. He would need to pass those on to his customers.
According to VanWieren, this surcharge would apply to all wireless customers to make up the effective difference between their economic propos
VanWieren had some concerns with the lease agreement that was drawn up by city attorney Mike Vogler. The part he had trouble with is: The rates to be charged to the customers for internet service would be an amount equal to the amount charged to a like class of customers in Rogers City. ?My costs are substantially higher here. Although I don?t have an intention to charge more, I can?t be limited. Otherwise the reality is if I can?t attract enough customers at a low price than I have to discontinue the service.?
The cost to Onaway customers would be $40 per month, with a one-year contract. Internet 2000 needs at least 50 customers in Onaway at $40 per customer to cover its cost. ?