Evaluating investment in public Wi-Fi infrastructure by Australian local governments

Investment by Australian local government authorities (LGA) in public Wi-Fi (PWF) has surged in recent years. PWF represents a new type of infrastructure investment for local authorities and widens the provision of telecommunications beyond the traditional role of the Australian national government. PWF can also be seen as a precursor for other local authority investment in networked digital communication technologies, including sensor networks, that for many commentators represent the evolution of 'smart' cities and the underpinnings of twenty-first century urban infrastructure.<br><br> This thesis is the first detailed analysis of LGA investment in public Wi-Fi by Australian LGAs and contributes to emerging scholarship in the broad area of critical infrastructure studies. The research employed a mixed-methods approach, using surveys and interviews, statistical analysis and econometric modelling to generate and analyse data. As the national survey undertaken during this research revealed, by 2018 around two-thirds of local councils had either invested in PWF or planned to invest within the next three years, with most LGAs contracting out service provision to telecommunication companies. However, few local authorities had evaluated their investment in PWF services. While several commentators have identified lack of attention to the systematic evaluation of programs and services as a characteristic of the local government sector, the thesis argues that evaluation of PWF poses significant conceptual and practical challenges relating to the characteristics of open or public wireless networks.<br><br> The thesis conceptualises PWF as a form of non-traditional infrastructure, which has generative and post-hoc benefits not captured by conventional evaluation methodologies. To identify an approach to evaluation that recognises the novel characteristics of digital communication networks, while responding to statutory requirements of the local government sector for good governance and responsible resource use, the thesis maps and analyses investment rationales in PWF, and examines whether the policy, institutional and technical settings of PWF provision support these rationales. The thesis also analyses local authority access to PWF metadata, concluding that current policy, procurement and regulatory settings compromise the quality and sustainability of network provision and significantly constrain LGAs from utilising metadata for both urban analytics and innovation.<br><br> To respond to the key problem of evaluation, the thesis argues for the adoption of empowerment evaluation (EE) as a rationale and conceptual model that can underpin adaptive local-level planning, investment and operation of PWF infrastructure. The successful implementation of EE in this arena requires new knowledge and analytical approaches, which are provided in this thesis. From this standpoint, the thesis argues that LGAs should take a more active involvement in and operational control over the provision of PWF, including through investing in the IT capabilities of staff, seeking regulatory change to facilitate the use of network metadata, and encouraging greater use of and experimentation with networks.