Traverse City Record-Eagle

Grand Traverse County

February 6, 2010

Utility eyes free wireless Internet

BY ART BUKOWSKI

TRAVERSE CITY -- Downtown Traverse City could be equipped with free wireless Internet by mid-summer, and a sizeable federal stimulus grant could expand the service even further.

Traverse City Light & Power is hustling to make a March 15 grant deadline, and the public utility's board on Tuesday is expected to initiate the application process for a $1 million stimulus grant.

But officials plan to launch free wireless Internet downtown by July 1, regardless of the grant's outcome. Computer users would be able to complete basic Internet tasks such as browsing Web sites, e-mails and other tasks from any location downtown.

"It's a great thing for the community," Light & Power Executive Director Ed Rice said.

Light & Power hopes to tap into stimulus funds earmarked for providing Internet access to rural areas. The utility plans to spend about $350,000 to launch wireless downtown, and then use potential stimulus funds to expand and improve the service.

The area targeted for the first wireless phase includes a corridor roughly bordered by Grand Traverse Bay, Eighth Street, Greilickville and Northwestern Michigan College, Rice said.

Light & Power might have more success at securing the grant if it demonstrates a commitment to the project by starting it downtown, officials believe.

The wireless service would be free to those logging on, and officials may consider supporting continuing costs of such a program by selling advertising, board Vice Chair Mike Coco said. Users logging on to the Internet would view an advertisement before proceeding.

It's not clear if the service in its initial stages would support use by businesses, Coco said, because it might not be able to adequately handle the data size or volume businesses need. Further expansions could upgrade technology used downtown.

Light & Power owns a broadband fiber cable that would support the program. Crews began laying cable in 2006 and finished last year, Rice said.

The project was a collaboration with Traverse City Area Public Schools so both agencies could quickly send data between their facilities, Rice said, though no Internet currently is pumped through the system.

Light & Power would have to pay for Internet, and could look to the Ann Arbor-based nonprofit Merit Network Inc. for that service.

Federal officials recently said Merit will receive a $33.3 million grant and $8.3 million in matching funds to build a fiber-optic broadband network through 32 counties in the Lower Peninsula, including Grand Traverse County.

Light & Power collects about $15,000 a month from TCAPS, Grand Traverse County, Traverse City and other agencies that use its cable for data sharing. The wireless project won't change that.

Traverse City residents and Northwestern Michigan College students Alaina Hall and Brogan Henschell are happy with the prospect of wireless Internet downtown.

"It sounds good," Hall, 19 said. "It would be nice to have more places where kids could do their work."

Hall said wireless Internet could be positive for tourism, as well.

"I don't know if more people would come because of it, but it would be a nice addition," she said.

Henschell said quality wireless access downtown is few and far between right now.

"There's not very many places you can go to get a good connection," she said. "It would be nice to be able to get it wherever."

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