The city of Chicago, Illinois, is planning to set up a city-wide WiFi network that will be accessible free-of-charge. Following suit after San Francisco and other cities that planned to set up free municipal- and city-wide services, the city government has made a call for proposals from the private sector to undertake development for the network.

While Chicago actually ranks third in the US for public WiFi coverage, access may not always be free. Out of the 500 or so hotspots available in public places like cafes and restaurants, only 50 do not charge for access. The city hopes that free WiFi would boost productivity, especially for the mobile workforce. Free WiFi is also touted to help in business growth. The city likewise wants more people to enjoy Internet access, noting that not everyone has high speed or broadband Internet.

The city government will not be spending for the project, and has therefore issued a call for proposals from the private sector. Both government and industry analysts consider this to be a wise move, since government will not be seen as competing with the private sector. The issue now is a marketing plan and coming up with a good business model, especially since the WiFi network is supposed to be free.