HOUSTON -- Houston City Council approved a plan on Wednesday to build a public wireless network that will provide discounted Internet access citywide, KPRC Local 2 reported.

Mayor Bill White announced that EarthLink, Inc. was chosen to build a citywide wireless broadband network in February.

The Wi-Fi mesh network will provide affordable, high-speed Internet access for those in Houston in five years, officials said.

The service will be free in 5 percent of the city's public areas, but the remainder of the city will be able to access the network from a range of Internet service providers.

The cost of access for the majority of users will be determined by the Internet providers, however a discounted rate will be available to those that meet certain criteria.

Deputy Director of Information Technology Janis Jefferson said the system should be completed in two years.

When it goes into effect, Houston will have the largest Wi-Fi network in the country, covering nearly all of the city's 600 square miles by spring of 2009.

The wireless ordinance approved two separate contracts with Earthlink. The first is a citywide broadband license agreement and the second is a wireless service agreement for five years worth up to $2.5 million.