05/16/2008

Associated Press

MetroFi Inc. has informed the city of Portland it will turn off the free Wi-Fi network it is building if the city or a private company doesn't step in to buy the network.

Portland contracted in 2006 with California-based MetroFi to build a Wi-Fi network that would provide free, wireless Internet service for nearly the entire city.

But the project was troubled from the start by erratic service. MetroFi stopped expanding the network last fall, with the project less than 30 percent complete.

MetroFi has offered to sell the network to the city for $894,000. City officials say they are considering it.