|
HarborLink Network News & Events
August 17, 2005
Wireless Worthington
By Brittiny Dunlap
The sight of laptops and the
sound of clacking keyboards
soon may become more
familiar in downtown
Worthington.
The city of Worthington has
entered into an agreement
with Dayton firm HarborLink
to provide free, wireless
Internet service to a
concentrated section of
downtown Worthington.
Access will be available to
anyone outdoors in the High
street corridor between
Stafford Avenue and South
Street. The signal will not
be strong enough to
penetrate through buildings
and may be blocked by large
trees.
"We wanted to cover an area
where people would
congregate outside," said
Paul Feldman, assistant city
manager and economic
development director. "We
wanted an area with lots of
people that would be
online."
Although it was initially
considered, planners decided
not to extend service north
of Stafford Avenue because
activities are primarily
limited to indoor areas,
Feldman said.
He said the city has an
optimistic target completion
date set for Sept. 16 --
just in time for Market Day.
"There are still some
technical issues to work
out," he said.
To access the system,
residents will need a
wireless-enabled laptop
computer or handheld
computer. Once within the
boundaries, and an Internet
browser is opened, a welcome
screen will prompt users
with directions to connect
to the service.
"We tried to keep it very
clean and very simple," said
Rick Tangeman, president of
HarborLink. "There are no
log-in names or passwords.
It is just a few clicks of
the mouse."
To provide the signal,
antennae will be located on
top of the mast arms that
support Downtown traffic
signals. They will look like
a small box with two
extending antennae.
The city expects to need
three or four of the units
to cover the predetermined
area.
In the contract, the city is
expected to provide only the
wires to connect the
antennae and provide the
power for them to function.
Feldman said to power each
antenna, it takes about 38
watts of electricity -- less
energy than is required to
power a light bulb.
While the city does not have
to pay for the cost of the
system, pop-up ads will
infiltrate a user's screen
every 12 minutes. News,
music downloading services
and ads from businesses are
a few of the things that
users will see when the
screen appears, Tangeman
said.
"It can be national,
regional or local," he said.
"It can be very targeted.
Contract negotiations
include restrictions on the
type of advertising that is
considered appropriate.
"It gives the city an out,"
he said. "(HarborLink is)
very sensitive to that."
The project began in June
when Feldman and Greg Dunn
of Schottenstein, Zox and
Dunn were discussing a
similar set-up that was
available to Dayton-area
residents. Shortly
thereafter, Feldman traveled
to the Ohio City Management
Association conference, at
which a representative from
HarborLink gave a
presentation on the Dayton
system.
Feldman said the model
created for Worthington is
based on the one already
established in Dayton.
"An initial planning meeting
was scheduled and everything
just snowballed from there,"
Feldman said. "It happened
very fast."
The service will last one
year and then will be up for
renegotiation or
termination.
Feldman said he hopes this
service will further
wireless developments in the
Downtown area.
"It is a kind of way to test
the waters," he said. |
| 
| 
| 
| 
| 
| 
