Solon seeks creation of Wi-Fi network nationwide

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MANILA — A lawmaker has filed a bill creating Wi-Fi systems in the entire country to make Internet connection accessible to everyone and democratize information and education.

Rep. Delphine Gan Lee (Party List, AGRI) filed House Bill No. 4741 to transform the entire country into a wireless access zone and make wireless access to the Internet free and available to everyone.

Lee said the proposed “Wi-Fi Act of 2013” shall create a Municipal Wi-Fi Program that will address the needs of local government units in building a Wi-Fi network at the city or municipal level.

Citing a recent study in 2013, Lee said there are more than 33 million active Internet users in the Philippines.

“In the Southeast Asia region, the Philippines is considered the fastest growing Internet audience and Filipinos are more likely to browse a social networking site as compared to the entire world,” Lee said.

Lee said the municipal Wi-Fi is the idea of converting an entire city into a Wireless Access Zone, generally done by providing municipal broadband thru Wi-Fi to the main areas or all of the municipal area by creating a wireless mesh network.

“The usual design utilizes hundreds of routers deployed outdoors. The network operator acts as a wireless internet service provider,” Lee said.

“Wireless communications are critical for public safety, first responders can set up an instant network at the scene of an incident with a wireless mesh,” Lee said.

Lee said a wireless infrastructure may provide low-cost or free Internet access and could be part of a program to make computers and Internet access available to marginalized families.

“High-speed wireless Internet access can help revive ailing areas. Low-cost broadband Internet access can attract more businesses to town, help increase tourism in resorts, or simply make an area more attractive as a destination,” Lee said.

Lee said government employees can do their jobs more efficiently if they have access to the city network out in the field, and a municipal wireless network allows instant access to important city records and databases for tax collectors, auditors, and building inspectors.

“The possibilities are limitless. We are a wired country and this measure will serve a big number of Filipinos and integrate those who cannot afford to pay for an Internet connection with those who can,” Lee said.

Under the measure, the National Computer Center (NCC) shall be the lead agency in evaluating and studying the feasibility of building a municipal Wi-Fi network.

At the city or municipal level, project developers shall be required to ask the NCC to perform a feasibility study prior to the granting of the subsidies under the proposed Act.

The NCC shall undertake to promote the growth of Wi-Fi technology in cities and municipalities, and shall formulate the Wi-Fi development process in the local government units, and evaluate the Wi-Fi process upon its completion in a given LGU.

Wi-Fi refers to a wireless networking technology that uses radio waves to provide high-speed network and Internet connections.

Wi-Fi also refers to a wireless local area network (NLWAN) products that are based on the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers’ (IEEE) 802.11 standards.