NEWS
Wireless availability grows in downtown area
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Also by Claire Scanlan:
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- Madison chooses Internet provider (February 28, 2005)
- Momentum builds for wireless network plan (December 13, 2004)
- Wireless access to hit city soon (October 21, 2005)
- Wireless ready in city (March 23, 2006)
- Madison plans wireless network scheme (February 3, 2006)
by Claire Scanlan
Friday, February 18, 2005
Downtown Madison may soon become a wireless Internet hotspot, following the lead of the Madison Public Library and other cities throughout the nation.
The city’s goal is to have “Wireless Wisconsin,” a public wireless Internet service, up and running within a one-and-a-half-mile radius of the Capitol, as well as a service at the Dane County Airport by late spring, according to George Twigg, spokesperson for Mayor Dave Cieslewicz.
“The library took good initiative by becoming one of the first few businesses with wireless Internet,” Twigg said. “Even though it only covers a small area, it is part of the overall plan to increase access to residents, students and visitors.”
Service providers such as Skycable/AOL, SBC and InSite Wireless are all competing for the right to provide this wireless availability to the city. According to a release, the winning bidder will pay the city, county and state for the right to run the wireless network.
“The good thing about this proposal for ‘Wireless Wisconsin’ is that no tax money is going to be needed,” Twigg said.
The service would allow people within the radius to access a basic set of sites for free while full Internet access would be available for a daily, monthly or long-term fee. For example, students could purchase a monthly pass for wireless Internet availability within the one-and-a-half mile radius surrounding the Capitol. Visitors would be able to purchase a daily pass.
According to library director Barbara Dimick, libraries all over the country are seeing the benefits of this convenience, and many of them are expected to implement the same service in the near future.
Dimick said the wireless service in the Madison Public Library has been working well, aside from a few minor personal computer configuration errors. The computers the library provides are in constant high demand. The computers are also often reserved in advance, Dimick added.
“Having wireless Internet access truly extends the reach of the public library,” Dimick said. “By enabling people to bring their own devices, it frees up the library’s computers for those who may not have their own.”
As of now, wireless Internet is up and running at four of the nine locations throughout the city, including the central library. Patrons of the library receive a code to access the wireless Internet upon arrival.
Other small retailers throughout the downtown have decided to try the wireless fad on their own. According to Lori Henn, manager of Fair Trade Coffee House, 418 State St., wireless has been a free, available option for more than three months.
Similarly, Espresso Royale, 650 State St., also offers a free wi-fi connection for patrons.
According to Twigg, Madison would serve as the pilot program for the wireless Internet system.
“What we hope to do is expand this ‘Wireless Wisconsin’ to other cities like Beloit, Milwaukee, and Green Bay,” Twigg said. “This is just the first phase.”
