Tech Council moves on wi-fi under Flatt, Fetherling

Nashville Technology Council Chairman Andy Flatt, the CIO at Healthspring, apparently wasn't making idle chatter last summer, when VNC reported Flatt was considering a broadband or wi-fi initiative during his term atop NTC. The idea of launching a Metro wi-fi or wi-max network has been around more than four years, since well before a special Metro Council task force, chaired by Zycron Founder and entrepreneur Darrell Freeman, and spurred by then-Councilman David Briley, began pushing for improved broadband in Davidson County and environs. The Task Force report is here. NTC President Tod Fetherling told VNC this afternoon that, provided the small pilot of the system goes well in February, new nodes could be added beyond the core's rougly 1-mile radius by this spring. NTC, Fetherling said, is defraying the $3K pilot cost from NTC cashflow. San Francisco-based Meraki, which is supporting NTC's effort, has public wi-fi installations in many cities, including Harvard Square.