While city officials in San Francisco have decided to let voters decide on the fate of citywide Wi-Fi with a public referendum, other cities have put a hold on plans for Wi-Fi or scrapped them completely. Among the recent cities to simmer down plans are Anchorage, Alaska; Corona, California; and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In some cases, Wi-Fi providers like Earthlink and AT&T have had second thoughts about offering citywide Wi-Fi: a proposition that has not been financially worthwhile for them. In other cases, city officials have seen negative response among cities that pioneered the concept. If you’d like to read two excellent, in-depth articles on the topic, check out The Wall Street Journal’s “Cities’ Wi-Fi Push Hits Snags” [note: subscription required, but the WSJ does offer a free trial] or BusinessWeek’s “Why Wi-Fi Networks Are Floundering.”

Orlando, Florida-based Solis Energy recently announced its plan to provide solar-powered energy to electronic devices requiring 100 watts and lower, such as Wi-Fi hotspots, security cameras, and traffic lights. Not only is the solar energy environmentally friendly, it also provides needed services in the event of a blackout.

Law enforcement officials in the United Kingdom recently arrested a man for using a neighbor’s Wi-Fi without permission, after they spotted him sitting outside with a laptop. We’ve mentioned similar arrests in past newsletters. The U.K. seems to have tougher – and clearer – laws on the issue than the United States. According to a Reuters report, Detective Constable Mark Roberts of the Metropolitan Police noted, “This arrest should act as a warning to anyone who thinks it is acceptable to illegally use other people’s broadband connections. Computer users need to be aware that this is unlawful and police will investigate any violation we become aware of.” Whether you agree with the arrest or not, if you want to protect your own Wi-Fi, make sure you have security installed, so only users with a username & password can gain access.