Alexandria on Tuesday joined New York City, Philadelphia and Wilmington, Del., with its official launch of an outdoor wireless zone - the first in the metropolitan area. While the District has small wireless areas in Dupont Circle and at the U.S. Supreme Court, Alexandria is the first pilot program in the region to have a 16-block Wi-Fi zone based on King Street for people using Wi-Fi-enabled laptops and personal digital assistants, said Alexandria's e-Government Manager Craig Fifer.
"We don't often get the chance to let the public use what we are trying to use," Fifer said, calling it a win-win situation since the city is trying to test newly installed wireless technology in trash cans, parking meters and traffic lights. The city also is hoping to promote economic development.
The system's routers, which broadcast the signal, are placed on top of City Hall, two traffic lights on King Street and the Torpedo Factory Art Center.
Yessi Burouk, a 43-year-old manager of Waterfront Gourmet a few feet from the art center, said the eatery had been looking into getting wired but now doesn't have to.
"We have a bar here and we like the customers to sit and work on their laptop and sip a martini," she said.
"This is my office," said Keith Bernard, a 38-year-old D.C. resident and lighting designer, as he grabbed his laptop. "To be able to stay connected with the outside world when I'm on the go helps a lot."
Mary Palmer, 49, a doctor who lives in Old Town, was tapping into the service at a bakery at Pitt and King streets. She called the service "pretty progressive" and said instead of paying a fee for service, "this frees things up. That is the whole idea of having wireless."
Wireless zone
The wireless zone is centered on King Street from Washington Avenue to the waterfront. Craig Fifer, Alexandria's e-government manager, said if the pilot program is successful, the city will look into expanding the zone down King Street to the Metro station and to other places people congregate.
Autor: Christy Goodman
Quelle: The Examiner Washington, 02.08.2005
