Anyone with a wireless device can hang out on the historic area's brick sidewalks and get on the Internet as part of a yearlong initiative known as "Wireless Alexandria." "Rarely do we have the opportunity to let the public use the same equipment we will be testing for government use," Mayor William Euille said. "We hope that this cutting-edge service will attract people to Alexandria while helping them access all the Internet has to offer."
One of the program's major goals is to help improve government efficiency. For example, Euille said, sensors installed in trash cans will let officials know, via the Internet, when the receptacles need emptying.
The city spent about $14,000 for equipment and $650 a month for required Internet bandwidth. The project is being funded by Alexandria's Information Technology Plan, which is part of the city's capital-improvement program.
The wireless service covers the heart of Old Town, extending eight blocks from Washington Street to the Potomac River waterfront. The area covers two of the city's most popular gathering spots, Market Square and the City Marina.
The service is designed for outdoor use, aimed at outdoor-cafe patrons or people who prefer parks to workstations. Some indoor users might be able to connect to the network but city officials said the service isn't trying to compete with commercially available Internet service or replace existing home or business Internet access.
"Our project is very narrowly tailored to serve a unique outdoor area of our city," said Craig Fifer, the city's e-government manager.
For one thing, the Old Town network isn't secure, meaning sensitive personal or financial information sent across it won't be encrypted, and shouldn't be used for purposes such as banking.
Wireless Alexandria can be accessed by anyone using a Wi-Fi-enabled laptop or personal digital assistant. Wi-Fi devices can connect to the Internet without cords, cables or special software. Many new laptops and PDAs come standard with Wi-Fi capability. Laptops and some PDAs without the feature can be upgraded inexpensively.
Quelle: WVEC, 07.08.2005
