A new and free Wi-Fi service launched in Paris during opening hours at 105 municipal buildings and parks. The service uses Alcatel-Lucent base stations is run by SFR and it will be extended to 400 hotspots by September according to projections. The service required a 2.5 million euros investment by the Ile-de-France region and municipal government, plus 500,000 euros in annual operating costs. Orange recently launched legal action arguing that city hall should not intervene in the telecommunications market and that it cannot manage a public telecommunications network unless all operators are allowed to use it.
Is it a coincidence that the same happened to the UK a couple of days ago ? :)