Alexandria is accepting bids until June 23 from companies hoping to provide free, wireless Internet service for use by city police and fire departments and other municipal services.
In exchange for supplying the free service, the company would be allowed to mount equipment to transmit wireless Internet to the public. The public could then buy reduced-price wireless Internet service from the provider. Customers would still have the option of purchasing Internet service from a provider other than the one providing free wireless access to the city.
“It’s just a wonderful opportunity for us to have this wireless throughout the city. Particularly if we’re negotiating — well, we may be able to get some real perks that are just wonderful for us,” said Alexandria City Council Member Del Pepper, who is championing the plan.
In addition to providing discounted service, wireless Internet would be offered for free to students with Alexandria City Public Schools-issued laptops. Pepper said that under the plan, free wireless would also be offered in certain areas of the city, like Market Square.
A public meeting to inform residents of the plan and solicit their feedback has been scheduled for May 20.
Pepper said a citywide wireless network would improve the ability of public works and other municipal offices to do their work. It also keeps Alexandria, which has undertaken free Internet pilot projects in the past, on the technological forefront.
“I just see this as the future, and we want to be a part of that. We want to be a leader,” she said.
A Wireless Alexandria?
» Alexandria already offers free Internet access over an eight-block stretch of King Street in Old Town.
» Alexandria would also require that the selected company provide free or severely reduced-price Internet to low-income residents.
