Siemens lands Toronto Wi-Fi network

Siemens Communications is making its entry into the North American municipal wireless market, announcing today that it has landed Toronto Hydro Telecom, as a customer. Toronto Hydro Telecom is a subsidiary of the city-owned utility company and plans to build Canada’s largest ubiquitous Wi-Fi footprint.

Siemens will be providing the radio sites and equipment, using mesh wireless technology from partner BelAir Networks, installation and both back office integration and first-line customer support, said Tony Casetta, vice president of the communications division for Siemens Canada.

The network is scheduled to be fully deployed in downtown Toronto by the end of 2006 and to cover a 10-square-mile footprint.

“We’ve done similar type of installations in Europe, but this is the first for Siemens in North America,” Casetta said. “We have been responding to RFPs from cities, but many of them are wide open, because the municipalities aren’t exactly certain what they want to do. Toronto Hydro Telecom is being definite in what they want–they are taking a leadership position in saying, ‘Here are some of the things you can do.’”

The Toronto network will serve both the city and its workers and the general public.

Casetta expects the success of the Toronto project to have impact in the U.S. as well, where the muni Wi-Fi market is starting to take off.