The Tempe network will be available to residents, university students, visitors and businesses, as well as to first responders and city workers who take advantage of real-time video surveillance over the network, according to a statement. Handheld devices using Session Initiation Protocol and Wi-Fi-enabled phones will also be supported.

The network will have about 400 antenna and radio units located on streetlights and buildings.

About 300 U.S. cities of various sizes have public Wi-Fi deployments planned, under way or already in place, usually in heavily populated or downtown areas, said Zeus Kerravala, an analyst at Yankee Group Research Inc. in Boston. Generally, the municipalities charge a fee for service.

In another sign that wireless technology is gaining popularity, the WiFi Alliance on Monday announced that annual sales of Wi-Fi chip sets for 2005 have already passed the 100 million mark, and are on their way to the 120 million mark for all of 2005.

The alliance, based in Austin, said it has certified more than 2,200 products with Wi-Fi chip sets since 2000. It put the annual growth rate of chip sales at 64 percent.