City Officials Hit Dead End In Attempts To Reach Proposed Wi-Fi Network ProviderMay 3rd, 2008
By Tammy Gray-Searles
Omera Inc., a company that signed an agreement to provide wireless Internet service in Holbrook, can no longer be reached by city officials.
City Attorney Sterling Solomon noted in a report to the city council, that, “not a word from Omera has been received despite our attempts to contact them.”
According to Solomon, the city has no obligation to Omera other than allowing the firm to use city sites, such as water towers, light poles and radio towers, to install its equipment. He also pointed out that the agreement with Omera is non-exclusive, meaning that other companies could also provide wireless service in Holbrook.
The original plan, proposed by former economic development director A’kos Kovach, was for Omera to create a wi-fi network throughout Holbrook. Subscribers would have been able to use the wireless network anywhere in the city. In exchange for deploying the network in Holbrook, the city would allow the company to mount its equipment on city-owned infrastructure. Omera also agreed to provide certain wireless services to the city government free of charge.
Solomon noted that the agreement, which was signed in 2007, is good for eight years.
Prior to the city council asking Solomon to look into the terms of the agreement, Interim City Manager Fern Larson advised the council that she had been attempting to contact the company with no success. The council asked Solomon to determine what obligations the city had under the agreement, and to also attempt to make contact with Omera officials. Solomon noted in his report that although he had been unsuccessful, he would continue trying to make contact.
In February 2007, the city spent approximately $1,500 to send two city representatives to a wireless conference in support of Omera. At the time, Omera offered to pay the travel expenses, but the city declined based on legal advice that it could be construed as a gift.
Also in February 2007, Omera signed an agreement with RoamAD to use RoamAD’s software to create municipal wi-fi networks. According to RoamAD CEO Martyn Levy, the agreement was later terminated.
“RoamAD terminated its agreement with Omera mid-way through 2007,” Levy wrote. “This was due to payment default on the part of Omera. Omera is not authorized to represent RoamAD in any way.”
Levy also noted that his understanding is that Omera did not deploy a network in Holbrook due to lack of funds. Without software to run the network, a wireless system could not be completed.
The Holbrook Tribune-News attempted to search Omera’s website, www.omerainc.com, for any information on the company’s status, but the site has been out of service for several months.
According to Solomon, the company must conduct a site survey if it ever intends to install any equipment in Holbrook.
“No request for a site survey has been received to this point in time,” Solomon noted.
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