At its Dec. 7 city meeting, the city council awarded a five-year contract to MetroFi Inc. to install transmitters on 100 streetlight poles in the city, which will then be used by Internet providers to create a wireless network throughout Sunnyvale. Once the system is in place, subscribers to a service will be able to access the network anywhere in Sunnyvale from a computer with wireless capability.

"This is the wave of the future," Councilwoman Julia Miller said in support of the contract. "Sunnyvale has to keep up with the rest of the world."

And although the plan meets with the goals of the city and community, some are concerned about its technological and aesthetic appeal.

There are already a number of wireless "hotpots," in Sunnyvale—like The Bean Scene on Murphy Avenue—where wireless users can access the Internet. Councilman Fred Fowler said he alone has two, one at his office on Murphy Avenue and one at his home. He speculated that there are a number of private wireless networks throughout the city, as they are becoming more common in households as the technology becomes easier and cheaper to use.

This contract is simply the next step in Sunnyvale's ongoing efforts to establish a wireless network.

In 1997, the city established a telecommunications policy as part of their general plan. The policy establishes that the city will use the Internet to try to enhance residents' lives and that the city's communications technology be kept in line with trends and advancements in the industry.

According to a staff report, the city tried to establish a network in 1996 with Metrocom, who installed micro-cellular data network radios on streetlights. In Oct. 2001, Metrocom filed for bankruptcy.

MetroFi previously tried to install poles, and even made a trial run of five poles, but it failed because they couldn't get power from PG&E to their transmitters.

Part of the new contract is with PG&E to give the power company access to the poles to power the transmitters. MetroFi has agreed to pay $36 a year for each pole they use, the same price paid in Cupertino and Mountain View for use of city poles. They will also pay a $3,600 security deposit the city can use to repair, replace or move any poles should MetroFi not carry out any of the terms or conditions of the agreement.

If installed, the 18-inch tall,12-inch wide cone-shaped transmitters will stand atop 100 city-owned streetlights. Each transmitter has a range of 500 to 1,000 feet depending on the surrounding area, and the network is wide enough to theoretically cover the majority of Sunnyvale, especially residential areas.

But while the network itself will be invisible, the transmitters are not, a fact that has some residents concerned.

"Nothing was done in the design except to make it function," Sunnyvale resident Jack Rowe said. "I certainly wouldn't award the contract with the concept the way they're showing it, I think it blights Sunnyvale unnecessarily."

Rowe—who looks out on the Sunnyvale Community Center from his front door—said he has a number of streetlights on his street that would have transmitters on top of them. He criticized what he called the "lazy design," of the transmitters.

Another concern expressed by the council—especially councilman Fred Fowler who has experience with both radio and Internet technology—that the technology used by the transmitters is almost a year and a half old, and could be outdated within months of installation.

"I think if we wait a short amount of time, we'll end up with the next generation of technology, and won't have to wait two and a half years," said councilman John Howe, who cast the lone vote against awarding the contract.

As a provision, they asked that MetroFi come back to them in two and a half years to reevaluate the technology and needs of the community.

The council awarded the contract in a 4­1 vote, granting MetroFi the right to build the transmitters. The contract is not exclusive, so other companies could still bring their own projects to the area. And if successful, the contract has an option for two more five-year periods.

"I think it's worth a try, and I think the five-year user agreement would be a good try," Fowler said.