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| Downtown Wi-Fi Zone attracts more people to the heart of the city. | ||
World comes to downtown Roanoke via wireless Internet technology
By Larry W. Brown
The Center for Digital Government recently named Roanoke as a leading digital city for the fourth consecutive year. Much of that recognition is attributable to partnerships that have been forged between the City of Roanoke, the New Century Technology Council (NCTC) and Downtown Roanoke, Inc.
In particular, one of the partnerships that put Roanoke back into the technology spotlight again was the creation of a Wi-Fi Zone in downtown. Wi-Fi – short for wireless fidelity – enables a person with a wireless-enabled computer or personal digital assistant to connect to the Internet when in proximity of an access point called a hotspot.
When city staff began receiving inquiries expressing interest in a wireless Internet connection system in downtown, the Department of Technology examined the possibilities of providing the service. After reaching a consensus that a wireless network would benefit residents and visitors who frequented downtown and its many eateries with outdoor seating, Roanoke began working with NCTC, Downtown Roanoke Inc., the Roanoke Higher Education Center and Cisco Systems to develop a Wi-Fi zone.
Roanoke’s downtown wireless program was launched in the summer of 2003 with the distinction of being the first free, wireless Internet access zone in the state. It was designed to attract more people to the heart of the city, and to meet the growing connectivity needs for business patrons, students, residents and visitors in and around the thriving Historic Market area.
Initially, the free downtown wireless service was a one-year trial pilot project. During and after the pilot, sponsors evaluated the potential to make the service permanent. Responses from citizen surveys and downtown wireless users indicated that visitors and residents wanted the service retained. Thus, the city decided to make wireless downtown Internet access downtown a part of the standard services provided to the public.
The Wi-Fi Zone is centered within the Market Square area of downtown with coverage available outdoors in one to two blocks in all directions. In addition, coverage has been extended to the Roanoke Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau, and to the main branch of the city’s public library system. Users need to have a wireless-enabled device such as a laptop, PDA or Internet-ready phone. In addition, the main branch of the library offers assistance for citizens who have questions about or need training to use the Wi-Fi technology.
“Roanoke Wi-Fi allows me to merge my professional life and my community life by taking my office to the streets,” said Daryn Warner, artistic associate at Roanoke’s Mill Mountain Theater. “Because my job is to build the community, it allows me to be in the hot spot of community activity.”
City leaders believe that the service will continue to draw more people downtown and pump even more life into what already is a vibrant market hub. Downtown restaurant patrons within the Wi-Fi Zone can not only grab a bite to eat, they can pop open a laptop computer and make use of the Internet at the same time. Park patrons in the zone can catch up on e-mail correspondence while enjoying the beautiful surroundings.
The wireless network utilizes the 802.11b standard for wireless communications, with speeds up to 11 Mbps. The Roanoke Higher Education Center was selected to build the network. Cisco Systems also helped provide resources for the deployment of the network.
The partnership is another example of how the city continues to promote technology as a business niche. City leaders hope the free Wi-Fi Zone signals business users and tourists that Roanoke is meeting the technology demands of customers and making it easier for them to conduct business in downtown Roanoke.
Thanks in part to successes such as the Wi-Fi Zone, people across the region – and across the country – have recognized that Roanoke is a city on the forefront of technology.
More details about the network, coverage areas and hardware requirements are available at the partnership’s Web site, www.RoanokeWiFi.com.
About the author
Larry W. Brown is the public information officer for the City of Roanoke.
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