Live at Pershing Square

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — I'm hanging out at Pershing Square for the media event to both launch the WIFI here and unveil the city's WIFI plan. Curt Gibbs from the CRA took the photo of me getting my connection all set up. Connectivity is good and fast. I'll be updating this post over the next hour or so as the event goes on.

(8:55): We're a little late getting going, but Jan Perry just got here. Curt's taking pictures for me, so we'll upload those after this is done. Hal Bastian wanted me to mention that he's here.

(8:59): Jan spoke about how proud she is that CD9 now has this access, and how she's working to get it installed other places in her district. I fully encourage Council members to fight over who gets the most wifi in their district.

John Schafer, one of the CRA commissioners, spoke next. The CRA did the RFP and contract for the WIFI.

(9:02): Morley Winograd, the chair of the Mayor's WIFI Panel is up now. Goal is to make high speed access available and affordable to anyone in the city who wants to have it. I have a copy of the report sitting here; I'll deal with it more a little later.

(9:03): I love this part. They're using the WIFI to send the report to the Mayor.

(9:04): Mark Wolf, Director of E-Government is up. He has Doane Liu, Deputy Mayor, on the phone. Via Mark holding his cell phone up to the mic, he's confirming that the Mayor just got the report.

(9:07): Now the photo-op with the Executive Panel and Jan Perry on the steps holding a laptop showing the ExperienceLA WIFI portal you get as your first page here in the square. Curt got a good photo of that one. Fun stuff.

(9:30): More photos are now up in the Pershing Square WIFI Set.