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HarborLink Network News & Events
November 24, 2004
Dayton Moves to Create Wireless
Environment
‘Hot City’ Initiative
Upholds Dayton’s Legacy of Innovation
True to its spirit of innovation, the City of Dayton is moving forward with creating a wireless environment that
would allow residents and visitors in open spaces within the city limits to access the Internet from their portable
computers and related devices at no cost.
At today’s public meeting, the Dayton City Commission approved testing new wireless fidelity (“WiFi”) services
in a limited test area over the next few months before deciding to pursue expansion of the technology citywide.
The move makes Dayton the first city in Ohio to initiate citywide, edge-to-edge WiFi coverage. Dayton also becomes
the first city nationally to offer a public-private partnership WiFi model that is not funded by taxpayers and
comes at no charge to the end user.
Commissioners Joey Williams and Matt Joseph have been strong advocates for using technology to enhance services
and quality of life issues for citizens. Both Commissioners were instrumental in bringing this effort to fruition.
“The opportunities available through WiFi technology are tremendous,” Commissioner Williams said. “The easier we
make it for residents and businesses to access the Internet and related electronic mediums, the more competitive
we become. We also believe offering this type of exciting, pioneering service will go a long way toward helping
Dayton attract that ‘creative class’ of people who will help fuel our community’s future success.”
“In addition to offering Internet access for free to residents and visitors, I am excited about the economic development
opportunities this new venture presents,” Commissioner Joseph said. “This type of technological asset will help
attract businesses and workers interested in the open environment Dayton will offer. This has long-term implications
for Dayton’s continued growth as a center for technology and innovation.”
The Dayton City Commission approved a test agreement with HarborLink Network to test and prove a WiFi meshed architecture
within an approximately one square-mile area of downtown, which includes the Oregon Business District, RiverScape,
Fifth Third Field, Webster Station, and Tech Town areas. The WiFi infrastructure will be located within the City’s
public rights of way and on specific City-owned facilities. Within this test area, people will be able to access
the Internet at no cost on streets, sidewalks and greenspaces. The initial test agreement with HarborLink will
allow the City of Dayton to make determinations about expanding WiFi services throughout the community. If the
City decides to expand citywide, it is anticipated that “Requests for Proposals” (RFP) will be solicited from interested
vendors by the middle of 2005.
“Dayton remains at the cutting edge of using technology to enhance the lives of our residents and businesses,”
Mayor Rhine McLin said. “John Patterson, the Wright Brothers and Charles Kettering would be proud of the innovative
step we are taking to put technology at people’s fingertips. Dayton is working to break down the barriers of the
digital divide, without burdening taxpayers in the process. I want to especially recognize Commissioners Joey Williams
and Matt Joseph for their leadership role in making this project possible.”
“Obviously, the world is becoming more mobile, and the new technology worker expects to be able to conduct business
wherever they happen to be,” Commissioner Williams pointed out.
Commissioner Joseph added, “We want to position this city for everyone that may benefit from this technology. We
are not talking about a ‘Hot Spot’ here, but rather a ‘Hot City’!”
Bill Hill, the City of Dayton’s Director of Information and Technology Services, will be coordinating this new
initiative. He cited several benefits of free WiFi technology within the city limits.
“We may someday be able to utilize this service for some City functions where our own workforce needs to be able
to electronically complete and submit their work orders for processing. We also believe we can leverage this opportunity
for future technological advancements in the areas of WiFi enabled phones, automated meter reading (AMR), automated
vehicle location (AVL), and mug-shot and fingerprint transmission capabilities for our public safety forces, just
to name a few.”
According to Hill, accessing the Internet through WiFi technology is similar to using a computer or other device
hooked up to a typical dedicated Internet service. Anyone with a WiFi enabled laptop, PDA, or telephone will be
able to take advantage of this service. Almost every laptop produced today comes with built-in wireless capability,
and many older laptops can accept a wireless card to allow them to work in this environment. Users will connect
to the Internet after acknowledging a disclaimer page that automatically appears from HarborLink.
“Our public/private partnership with HarborLink in this testing phase will prove the concept of a free service
to our citizens,” Hill said. “HarborLink will basically offer some advertising to the end user to offset the cost
that would normally have been passed on to the user. This allows the service to be offered at no cost. The City
will be leveraging access to areas on City-owned facilities and in the rights of way to allow installation of the
access points. The City will also be providing the backhaul connectivity to the Internet. Quite a small investment
for such a great possibility.”
Hill said the City would provide minimal financial commitment to the project in the form of Internet accessibility
costs via the City’s existing network. He estimated that a few spots in the downtown test area would be activated
during the holiday season, with the remaining infrastructure put in place over the next several months. The majority
of the test area should be active and accessible to users by April 1. Hill emphasized that this WiFi effort will
target open, outdoor spaces and not compete against existing wireless providers who serve business and residential
customers.
“Offering wireless capabilities in the city will only strengthen Dayton’s position as a destination point for high-tech
and cutting-edge companies,” said JP Nauseef, Chief Operating Officer of the Dayton Development Coalition. “The
Dayton Development Coalition certainly applauds and supports the City’s aggressive steps to go wireless. I cannot
overemphasize the strategic value such a move creates for marketing Dayton as a great place to live and work.”
HarborLink is a wholly owned division of R.B. Tangeman Company, Inc., an Ohio corporation.
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