US ranked 16th in wireless broadband connectivity.

In Calling All Luddites, New York Times Thomas Friedman says, "I've been thinking of running for high office on a one-issue platform: I promise, if elected, that within four years America will have cellphone service as good as Ghana's." His issue seems to be 911 service in subways, mainly, but he also argues that as the world moves to an Internet-based platform for all its aspects (business, education, entertainment), wealth will go to the countries that can connect its people. But the telecommunication companies are fighting it.

Nevertheless, several municipalities recently have released plans to offer civic Wi-Fi services. The first city to announce such a project was Philadelphia, followed soon by San Francisco, Madison, and Seattle.