The following is part of a business article by Jesse Noyes about WiFi published in the Boston Herald Monday, April 25, 2005.

The owners of swanky shops and cafes along Newbury Street know Michael Oh. As the founder and owner of Tech Superpowers, he's the man responsible for developing free Wi-Fi access for the area's businesses - a big draw for tech-savvy customers on the go.

But Oh isn't satisfied. He wants to move Wi-Fi into untapped areas of the Hub.

That's why Oh got together with former Somerville Chief Information Officer Patrick McCormick and longtime blogger Susan Kaup to form the Boston Wireless Advocacy Group. Their mission is to break down the ``digital divide'' between economic classes.

``It is mostly about getting access to poorer communities,'' McCormick said.

The ``digital divide'' has been a hot topic with everyone from politicians to economists, hot enough for The Boston Foundation to pony up $25,000 for a study of strategies for linking local businesses with Wi-Fi capabilities.

And hot enough to draw a significant turnout last week at a meeting to discuss public Internet access.

The study results are scheduled to be presented at the Boston Museum of Science on May 19.

West Roxbury and Jamaica Plain City Councilor John M. Tobin has caught the fever, too. Tobin hopes to expand Wi-Fi to a typically ignored market.

``(It's) leveling the playing field so there is equal access,'' Tobin said.

A level playing field may not be everyone's desire. Talk of cheap or free Internet access has been known to make traditional Internet carriers nervous.

McCormick believes those fears are misplaced. He arguesthat opening online access could lead to an expanded market.

``We need to convince (Internet service providers) that if people had cheap ubiquitous access to the Internet, more people would find $40 (home) packages appealing,'' he said.

Tobin agrees that taking on ISPs is not the right strategy.

``I don't want to compete with the Verizons and Comcasts of the world,'' Tobin said. He added that those companies have been invited to the May event.

Tobin provides Boston WAG with much-needed political clout in the push for Wi-Fi expansion. Oh wants to work with the city but says public money isn't a given.