Angry BellSouth Withdrew Donation, New Orleans Says
Hours after New Orleans officials announced Tuesday that they would deploy a city-owned, wireless Internet network in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, regional phone giant BellSouth Corp. withdrew an offer to donate one of its damaged buildings that would have housed new police headquarters, city officials said yesterday.
Way to go BellSouth. While I’m not sold on the idea that free wireless internet in the CBD and French Quarter is going to immediately boost the economy of New Orleans, I do think it’s a good idea, and it will help in a year or two, as more basic services become more reliable. Now if NOLA extended it across the entire city, as well as Jefferson Parish, that would be something.
BellSouth can go sit with Tom Benson and the city of San Antonio and the rest of them ready to take advantage of the Gulf Coast’s misfortune for their own personal gain.