Time, space and the wireless community network

Résumé

Wireless zones are of increasing interest to scholars and practitioners of community informatics because of their promise of universal access to technology. They have been established quickly by municipalities, cooperatives, and private companies, especially in urban centres. A wireless zone may be located either indoors or outdoors, with access to users provided through devices such as laptop computers or personal digital assistants. The spatial organization of wireless zones is inextricably linked to the design of urban spaces and to existing or envisioned transportation routes. Following transportation routes for the design of communication infrastructure has its roots in the 19^th-century strategy of threading the telegraph network through the continental railways. The implications of such a strategy for community uses of technology are considered in this article. Drawing on medium theory, I argue that participation in community informatics in an era of virtual identities and mediated communication requires attention to the broad effects of technology, particularly in connection to changing conceptions of time and space. Some implications for community networks are provided.