By Suzann Torres
San Marcos — The search for a wireless Internet network provider for San Marcos has been narrowed to two vendors, city officials said this week.
In March 2006, the city hired MetroNetIQ, out of Austin, to help with the process of setting up a wireless mesh network to provide the city with free or low-cost wireless Internet.
MetroNetIQ representatives met with 50 prospective companies in a July 2006 pre-proposal conference, said City Communications Manager Melissa Millecam.
Nine vendors submitted proposals and MetroNetIQ reviewed and narrowed that list to five vendors, which were presented to city staff in November of 2006. The list is now down to two finalists.
According to the project briefing found on the city of San Marcos homepage, the original timeline had a vendor selected by Oct. 2007 and a design review running from this month through April 2008, followed by a demonstration project and community forum.
Millecam said the city isn't far off that schedule. She said in early January a city council meeting will be held to discuss the status and overall direction of the project.
Millecam said MetroNetIQ and city staff are still communicating with the vendors and discussing what they both have to offer, including the cost of the project and the different possible uses of the wireless network.
She said the next steps for the city are to conduct a general overview of the two proposal's suggestions and then pick a vendor.
“The project has gone very well, and the staff has been very thorough in their research...we're on course,” Millecam said.
