Facebookers net wi-fi

A Sydney based Facebook group has managed to achieve what the NSW State Government has not; the creation of a free-to-use wi-fi network in Sydney.

Project founder Jean-Jacques Halans says Free Sydney Wireless is based on an idea made in a presentation by Mark Pesce at the Web Directions conference in Sydney last year.

The NSW Government’s plan for free wi-fi in Sydney’s CBD and other business centres around the state has similar aims but “has taken a long time and nothing has happened”, Mr Halans says. The Facebook group started to discuss buying a large number of Meraki’s devices together, to reduce the purchase price and shipping costs and set up its own free wireless. The group eventually made a joint buy of 30 Meraki devices, most of which have been installed around Sydney.

By using “grassroots” tactics, and encouraging members to recruit neighbours and friends, and so on, the group aims to eventually provide the entire Sydney area with wi-fi coverage.

Update: Free Canberra Wireless, TheFreeNet Aotearoa in Wellington, NZ, and for Facebook people, Free Melbourne Wireless, and Free Perth Wireless are other groups who have established similar networks in other cities and centres, or intend to.