Project Update
20/20 Communications currently has approximately 100 square miles of the County built out with over 500 paying subscribers and 2,000 free users. This coverage includes the Wireless Washtenaw pilots along with the areas being serving before 20/20 won the Wireless Washtenaw contract. 20/20 has experienced challenges in securing funding for the County wide build out. This is due to several reasons including the state of Michigan’s economy and unsuccessful Muni Wifi projects around the country. Until 20/20 secures funding no additional areas will be built out.
20/20 does however continue to meet with investors in attempts to secure funding to move forward with full deployment. Washtenaw County along with its partners continue to be committed to the project’s vision to ensure the underserved portions of the County have viable options in the future. If you have any questions or advice please call us at 734-222-6587.
Ann Arbor News Article
The Ann Arbor News
January 29, 2008
Wireless Washtenaw Pushes Ahead Despite
Problems
In an attempt to show Wireless
Washtenaw is still alive and kicking, 20/20 Communications expanded wireless
Internet access in southwestern
[more]
January 31, 2008 12:30 pm
Project Update – December 2007
Wireless Washtenaw Update – December 2007
20/20 Communications continues discussions with private equity investors
to secure financing for the project. Deploying wireless service throughout
Washtenaw County is expected to cost approximately
[more]
December 19, 2007 10:15 am
Digital Inclusion Announcement
Washtenaw County and the “Wireless Washtenaw” project team today
announced the formation of the Digital Inclusion Task Force, charged with
reducing the disparities of Internet accessibility and computer literacy in
our community.
As recently
[more]
December 19, 2007 9:54 am
Project Update - November 2007
Wireless Washtenaw Update – November 2007
20/20 Communications remains active in their pursuit of financing for the
project. Deploying wireless service throughout Washtenaw County is expected
to cost approximately $20 million, all of which
[more]
November 8, 2007 11:17 am
Ann Arbor News Article
The Ann Arbor News
September 4, 2007
Wireless Washtenaw Overcoming Challenges on Road to Success
Opinion by Mark McCleary, CEO of 20/20 Communications
On Sunday, Aug. 12, The Ann Arbor News published a column by Business
Editor
[more]
September 4, 2007 11:19 am
Ann Arbor News Article
The Ann Arbor News
August 12, 2007
Wireless Washtenaw Is In A Bind
About a year ago, Robert Wolff, president of 20/20 Communications, the
company implementing the Wireless Washtenaw program, told The News, "We will
cover everyone ...
[more]
August 15, 2007 4:17 pm
Ann Arbor News Article
The Ann Arbor News
July 25, 2007
Wireless Washtenaw Waits:
But countywide program still is moving ahead, organizers say
Officials say the effort to provide wireless Internet access throughout
Washtenaw County has been delayed due to
[more]
July 25, 2007 11:00 am
Project Update - June 2007
20/20 Communications continues to make preparations for the
expansion of the Wireless Washtenaw network. Plans are underway to build-out
a 144 square mile section in Southwestern Washtenaw County by the end of
Summer 2007. Throughout this time,
[more]
June 1, 2007 1:45 pm
Federal Identity Theft Report
Identify theft is the misuse of another individual’s personal information to
commit fraud. It is a growing problem in the United States, affecting both
consumers and businesses alike. The President’s Identity Theft Task Force
recently completed
[more]
April 24, 2007 2:07 pm
Network Expansion Coming
20/20 Communications will begin expanding the Wireless Washtenaw
network over the next several weeks. Negotiations are in the final stages
for network expansion around the Pleasant Lake area in Freedom Township.
They are also in negotiations
[more]
April 19, 2007 1:32 pm
Manchester Public Forum Success
More than 200 interested Washtenaw
County residents came out for the first Wireless Washtenaw Public Forum on
Monday, March 26th at the Manchester High School Auditorium. The audience
had the opportunity to hear some of the history, as well as
[more]
March 28, 2007 10:14 am
Ann Arbor News Article
The Ann Arbor News
March 27, 2007
Rural Areas To Go Wireless First
As Wireless Washtenaw moves out of testing and into its deployment
phase, the county's rural residents can take heart knowing they'll be among
the first connected.
[more]
March 27, 2007 4:06 pm
Manchester Public Forum
WIRELESS WASHTENAW PUBLIC FORUM AT
MANCHESTER HIGH SCHOOL
(Read
full News Release)
Wireless Washtenaw, nearing the end of its critical
pilot phase and within a few months of initial deployment, is hitting the
road for a number
[more]
March 2, 2007 1:58 pm
Wireless Internet Institute
W2i, or the Wireless Internet Institute, is an independent think tank
dedicated to bringing stakeholders from around the world together in order
to accelerate the adoption of wireless technology and applications. At a
recent convention,
[more]
February 28, 2007 4:59 pm
Pilot Update - February
The Wireless Washtenaw pilot phase is rapidly coming to an end. Over the
past three months 20/20 Communications constructed, operated and maintained
three pilot networks in the Cities of Ann Arbor and Saline. 20/20 also
conducted a rural pilot
[more]
February 7, 2007 4:20 pm
Volunteer Appreciation
On Wednesday, January 24,
Washtenaw County, along with 20/20 Communications and Siemens, recognized
the numerous community volunteers who have worked so diligently on the
Wireless Washtenaw project over the last twenty-four months. The honorees
[more]
January 31, 2007 10:11 pm
Siemens News Release
Siemens Provides Key Infrastructure and Services to Deliver
Wireless Internet Access across Washtenaw County, Michigan, Including Areas
Limited by "Slow-Speed" Dialup
(PDF Version)
BOCA RATON, Fla. — Jan. 23, 2007 —
Siemens Communications, Inc.
[more]
January 24, 2007 9:51 am
Pilot Update - January
Over the last month 80 pilot testers have signed on to Wireless Washtenaw and accessed the Internet. 20/20 Communications has received a positive response from the initial set of users and is looking to add more pilot participants to the Ann Arbor
[more]
January 5, 2007 4:25 pm
Ann Arbor News Article
The Ann Arbor News
December 20, 2006
Wireless Project Getting 1st Tests:
Free Internet access on track in Washtenaw
Testing is under way for Wireless Washtenaw, the project that eventually
will bring free wireless Internet access to residents
[more]
December 20, 2006 12:18 pm
Pilot Update - December
20/20 Communications began activating pilot participants in the Manchester and Saline areas on Friday,
December 8th. The average installation time in the rural areas is between 1
to 1.5 hours. Shorter installation periods are anticipated as the 20/20
[more]
December 15, 2006 9:31 am
Pilot Update - November
On Friday, November 10th 20/20 Communications completed the
installation of the Wireless Washtenaw pilots. Currently the network is
limited to the project's technical personnel as they perform a series
of acceptance tests, which requires network
[more]
November 17, 2006 4:30 pm
Pilot Update - October
20/20 Communications continues to make preparations for the
deployment of the three Wireless Washtenaw pilots. During the coming weeks
20/20 will complete their engineering study and begin installing
broadcasting equipment on select public assets.
[more]
October 27, 2006 4:30 pm
Wireless Contract Finalized
20/20 Communications and Washtenaw County solidified their
private-public partnership with the signing of the Wireless Washtenaw
Provider Agreement on Tuesday, September 26. This agreement outlines the
services that 20/20 Communications will deliver
[more]
September 27, 2006 3:00 pm
Negotiations Update
The Wireless Washtenaw Steering Committee continues to work with
20/20 Communications on finalizing a contract for the deployment of
county-wide services. To allow both sides sufficient time to review and
discuss the proposed contract, the following
[more]
August 23, 2006 4:45 pm
Wireless Washtenaw FAQ
The Wireless Washtenaw project team has received numerous questions
surrounding the next steps for the project over the last few weeks. Below
are some of the more frequent questions received from interest residents in
our community. We thank you
[more]
August 11, 2006 3:45 pm
BOC Authorizes Partnership
The Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners
today approved the Wireless Washtenaw Advisory Board’s recommendation of
20/20 Communications as the preferred partner for the project. The Board’s
Resolution makes way for finalizing the contract with
[more]
August 3, 2006 11:08 am
Summer 2006 Timelines
On June 15th the Wireless Washtenaw Advisory Board
accepted the recommendation of 20/20 Communications as the preferred private
sector partner for the Wireless Washtenaw project. The recommendation to
move forward with 20/20 Communications will
[more]
July 19, 2006 3:40 pm
Steering Committee Recommends 20/20 Communications
Wireless Washtenaw will partner with 20/20 Communications of Ann
Arbor, Michigan, to fulfill its mission of creating a wireless high speed
network throughout Washtenaw County. After a thorough review process that
included three finalist bidders,
[more]
June 16, 2006 12:08 pm
Advisory Board Meeting
The Wireless Washtenaw Steering Committee has reviewed all documentation submitted by the four RFP respondents and has accordingly prepared a recommendation for the Wireless Washtenaw Advisory Board. A meeting is scheduled for June 15th where the Steering
[more]
June 8, 2006 1:04 pm
Partner Selection Update
For the last two months, the project team has been busy reviewing and evaluating the four Wireless Washtenaw proposals. A formal announcement regarding provider selection is expected in early June when the Advisory Board reconvenes to discuss the
[more]
May 11, 2006 3:50 pm
Communities Approve MPA
The Wireless Washtenaw project continues to gain momentum as more
and more local units of government sign the Master Participation Agreement (MPA). The
MPA allows communities to commit to providing assets that will facilitate
the build-out of
[more]
April 24, 2006 12:59 pm
Governance Structure
The Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners
approved a new governance structure on March 1st that will direct the
Wireless Washtenaw project once the provider contract is awarded in
September 2006.
Per the new structure, a Stakeholder
[more]
April 10, 2006 12:01 am
Four RFP Responses Received
The Wireless Washtenaw initiative took another major step forward Tuesday, March 7th with the public opening of four bids on RFP # 6244. The four bids to become the project’s private sector partner responsible for implementing a wireless high-speed internet
[more]
March 8, 2006 11:58 pm
Project Update - 1/23/06
Throughout the course of the initiative, the project team has been in constant communication with the private sector community. Recently the project team received feedback regarding the RFP timeliness, specifying the need for more time on the provider’s
[more]
January 23, 2006 4:24 pm
Pre-Proposal Conference A Success!
The project team is pleased to report the success of the Wireless Washtenaw Pre-Proposal Conference that was held the morning of Wednesday, December 14, 2005. The purpose of the conference was to discuss key milestones and timelines with the project's
[more]
December 16, 2005 9:48 am
Wireless Washtenaw Project Update
The Wireless Washtenaw project team is pleased to report that the Request for Proposal (RFP) was released on November 29, 2005. Through this RFP, the private sector solution providers will detail their vision for making Wireless Washtenaw
[more]
December 12, 2005 4:31 pm
House Bill 5237's Impact
The State of Michigan continues to make progress on a new telecommunications bill. On November 3, 2005, the State Senate approved House Bill 5237. The legislation will now go before the Governor for her approval.
House Bill 5237 preserves a municipality’s
[more]
November 9, 2005 8:00 am
Project Team Offers Insight
Scott Anderson of the Ann Arbor News recently talked with David Behen of Wireless Washtenaw regarding the group's decision to extend the RFI until October 27th. For David's comments and more, check out Scott's article below.
From the
[more]
October 21, 2005 2:43 pm
Wireless Initiatives Blossoming
Mike Wendland, technology writer for the Detroit Free Press, recently met with technology leaders during the annual State of the Net meeting, sponsored by GLIMA Southeast. After discussing wireless technology with representatives from Oakland
[more]
October 14, 2005 11:01 am
Great Lakes IT Report
Matt Roush of WWJ 950 Newradio regularly publishes a report on IT developments in the Great Lakes area. He recently had this to say about wireless initiatives in Michigan:
As for the State of the Wireless, two panel discussions and a keynoter gave more
[more]
October 11, 2005 4:15 pm
RFI Extension
The Wireless Washtenaw Request for Information will be extended from October 12th through October 27th. The extension is due to changes in the technological landscape and the high degree of activity surrounding municipal
[more]
October 11, 2005 12:01 am
Michigan Daily Reports On Wireless Washtenaw Progress
Jeremy Davidson of the Michigan Daily recently interviewed members of the Wireless Washtenaw project team. Take a look at Washtenaw Plans Blanket Wireless By '07 to see what your project team is saying!
[more]
September 30, 2005 9:48 am
Sprint Nextel Test Mobile WiMax
In collaboration with Samsung, Sprint Nextel will begin testing mobile WiMax technology over their exiting 2.5 GHz spectrum. This testing will occur in both the lab and the field. For more information, check out Jim Barthold's article in Telecommunications
[more]
September 28, 2005 10:48 am
US Congress Releases Draft Telecommunications Bill
The United States House Energy and Commerce Committee released draft legislation designed to regulate broadband Internet transmission services. The intent of the legislation is to boost the national economy by accelerating the deployment of new broadband
[more]
September 16, 2005 10:49 am
Washtenaw Realtors Briefed On Wireless Washtenaw
James McFarlane, Wireless Washtenaw Project Manager, presented the Wireless Washtenaw concept to the Washtenaw County Board of Realtors during their General Membership Meeting on Thursday, September 15th. A wireless network offers several advantages
[more]
September 16, 2005 10:00 am
Wireless Washtenaw Survey Results
For the last two months, the project team has been conducting research regarding the potential market for wireless internet in Washtenaw County. This effort involved mailing 2000 surveys to randomly selected Washtenaw County residents. In all, the
[more]
September 12, 2005 10:04 am
Wireless Washtenaw Technology Discussed
In his latest article, Andrew Dietderich of Crain's Detroit discusses some of the technological options for projects such as Wireless Washtenaw. WiFi and WiMax are two of the technologies that can make Wireless Washtenaw a reality. Each technology has
[more]
September 7, 2005 9:38 am
Community Update - Governmental Master Participation Agreement
For some time now, the Wireless Washtenaw team has been discussing the project with the local units of government. These discussions have reached a critical stage. In order to pool the community's assets, the team has constructed a Master Participation
[more]
August 16, 2005 12:08 pm
Proof of Concept Application for Local Governments
The Wireless Washtenaw project team is currently accepting applications from the local units of government to hold a proof of concept program in their respective community. In determining the locations for the programs, the project team will
[more]
July 26, 2005 8:00 am
Take the Wireless Washtenaw Market Survey
Wireless Washtenaw is conducting a survey to gather information from potential customers of the Wireless Washtenaw initiative. The team wants learn more about people's current internet connectivity and how and where they might use wireless services.
[more]
July 22, 2005 1:49 pm
18 RFI Responses
'Wireless Washtenaw', the new county-wide initiative to blanket all of Washtenaw County with wireless Internet access, received eighteen (18) private sector responses to a Request for Information (RFI) that ended July 7th, 2005. The RFI forms the basis
[more]
July 12, 2005 11:59 am
Federal Senate Introduces Bill 1294
Senator Lautenburg (D-New Jersey) and Senator McCain (R-Arizona) introduced Senate Bill 1294 in June 23, 2005. Referred to as the Community Broadband Act of 2005, the legislation would facilitate the development of municipal wireless
[more]
June 27, 2005 2:44 pm
Wireless Washtenaw Request for Information (RFI) Released
At the Wireless Washtenaw Private Sector Partnership Forum, the Wireless Washtenaw team announced that it would be releasing a Request for Information (RFI). The intent of this Request for Information is to extend the project team’s partnership to include
[more]
June 7, 2005 11:00 am
Wireless Washtenaw RFI Due July 7
The deadline for the Wireless Washtenaw Request for Information has been extended until July 7, 2005, 3:00 PM EST. Vendors and technology partners who wish to participate in the Wireless Washtenaw project must complete the RFI to be considered for further
[more]
June 7, 2005 11:00 am
State Senate Introduces Bill 528
Senate Bill 528 was introduced on May 24, 2005 by Senator Shirley Johnson (13th Senate District) This bill would eliminate all local government ability to provide telecommunication services to residents. (i.e. cable, internet, wireless internet, broadband,
[more]
June 1, 2005 11:03 am
Wastenaw Local Units of Government Support Wireless Washtenaw
Throughout May and June, the Wireless Washtenaw team will visit Washtenaw County city, village and township councils and boards to present details of the project. These local units of government are passing resolutions of support for the project. The
[more]
May 27, 2005 2:21 pm
Wireless Washtenaw Advisory Board Created
The Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners created the Wireless Washtenaw Advisory Committee on March 18, 2005.
The purpose of creating an advisory committee is to oversee and provide guidance to the Wireless Washtenaw project serving as the project
[more]
May 23, 2005 11:34 am
Bill Introduced to Eliminate Local Control of all Telecommunications
HB 4600 was introduced last week by Rep. Leon Drolet (R-Clinton Township). This bill would eliminate all local government ability to provide telecommunication services to residents. (i.e. cable, internet, wireless internet, broadband, etc.)
[more]
April 20, 2005 3:41 pm
Network Wins Big Award
Could your work-flow/efficiency be improved significantly through the use of additional technology? If so, please explain what device(s) could assist you and how. For example, would having access to encompass via a laptop be helpful in doing
[more]
April 5, 2005 2:46 pm
Stakeholders Meet on 'Wireless Washtenaw'
More than 100 interested people attended the first “Wireless Washtenaw” Executive Stakeholder Meeting on Monday, March 28th at the Michigan Information Technology Center in Ann Arbor. Wireless Washtenaw is a collaborative initiative to create “wireless
[more]
March 29, 2005 6:17 am
Wireless Washtenaw Sets Stakeholder Meeting
The Ann Arbor IT Zone, Washtenaw County, City of Ann Arbor, University of Michigan,
the Michigan Township Association and the Washtenaw Development Council
plan a Wireless Washtenaw Executive Stakeholder Meeting for
Monday, March 28, 2005 from
[more]
March 25, 2005 11:00 am
Wireless Washtenaw Presented to Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners
The Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners learned about the progress of the Wireless Washtenaw project at their working session of January 20, 2005.
During the presentation, Washtenaw County Support Services/Information Technology Division Director
[more]
March 1, 2005 3:50 pm
Wireless Oakland Announced
Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson announced the beginning of Wireless Oakland at his annual state of the county speech. Similar in scope and concept to Wireless Washtenaw, this announcement provides tremendous partnership opportunities between
[more]
March 1, 2005 3:44 pm
