Dayton’s Wireless Network
Wireless Dayton Days
In April, Dayton becomes a wireless hot city. Not just a small
part of Dayton’s Downtown, or just the occasional progressive restaurant
or bar will be a hotspot, but one square mile of downtown Dayton—its
parks and sidewalks—will be a wireless HotZone. I know that some cities
have wireless Internet - but Dayton's innovation is that wireless Internet
access in Dayton's downtown parks and streets will be free to all who can
use it because of the first Public/Private partnership of its kind in the
U.S.
Presently, some cities furnish downtown wireless Internet access, but the
users must either pay for the service or users must pay higher prices for
merchandise because their downtown businesses pay for their town's wireless
Internet access. A few cities offer free wireless Internet access in their
parks, but the area of free service is defined as a hotspot, and no roaming
is possible. That means those users cannot have seamless wireless internet
access when walking from one park to another or from a park’s hotspot
to a business which offers wireless service through the same Internet Service
Provider.
According to Bill Hill, Director of Information and Technology Services for
the City of Dayton, “In downtown Dayton a person using a wireless network-enabled
PDA or laptop computer should be able to maintain their live connection to
the Internet when walking from one downtown park to another or from the Sinclair
College Campus to either Riverscape or 5th/ 3rd field via Dayton's sidewalks".
Offered the challenge by Dayton City Manager James T. Dinneen, Bill Hill made
the arrangements for Dayton citizens and guests to have free wireless Internet
Access. The City of Dayton, in cooperation with HarborLink, P&R Communications
and DoNet, a Dayton-area Internet Service Provider, allows this to happen.
Phase-I of the plan for Dayton's wireless Internet access (to be completed
in April 2005) starts with all of the outdoor space between the river at the
North side of the Downtown to the Oregon District on the South side and from
Webster Street Station on the East to I-75 on the West of downtown’s
borders will have free Wireless Internet access. This area is comprised of
a little more than 1 square mile. Businesses within and outside of this area
are welcome to participate in similar contracts to what the city has negotiated
to enable seamless access when walking into downtown buildings, whether they
be restaurants or shopping establishments.
Phase-II consists of wireless Internet access being provided to parks and
streets within the entire corporation limits of the City of Dayton, an area
comprised of 55 square miles. Other municipalities will be encouraged to "piggyback"
on Dayton's contract, or participate in contracts similar to what the City
of Dayton has negotiated, enabling users to have seamless access when traveling
between cities. I understand that several other cities have already expressed
an interest in this arrangement. The entire City of Dayton Phase-II should
be completed in approximately one year.
Phase-III While the earlier phases mostly add services to Dayton residents
and guests, this last phase actually reduces city expenses. Wireless water
meter reading, code enforcement, housing enforcement, fire inspections, and
other public safety/service initiatives will be possible over the City's VLAN.
No definite date has been set for the completion of this phase.
Complementing Dayton's tradition of innovation, DMA® has also been innovative.
Before there was local computer training, DMA® offered the sharing of
computer knowledge at both its general meetings and Special Interest Groups
(SIGs). Before there was a Best Buy, a CompUSA or traveling computer shows,
the DMA® made a success of Computerfest®. With OTAP, DMA® created
the first local computer recycling project. Many thousands of computers have
been distributed since OTAP’s inception nearly 10 years ago. When DMA®
created GEMAIR, it was one of only four commercial Internet Service Providers
in the world which was owned by a non-profit computer user group.
The DMA®, in sponsoring Wireless Dayton days, will continue to advocate
area innovation by helping new wireless Internet users become more comfortable
with their new freedom by doing what user groups do best - mentor and share
computer knowledge. There aren’t yet many local schools or other services
which introduce wireless Internet to new users. I feel that there is a need
to help individuals maneuver this ominous learning curve and for many, Wireless
Dayton Days will begin that learning process.
The Volunteer Opportunity
With Wireless Dayton Days, the DMA® has the exclusive opportunity
to participate in an event to help "kick-off" Dayton's new free
public wireless Internet access.
We will have numerous volunteers demonstrate wireless Internet access one-on-one
to new users throughout the city;
We will have small classroom training sessions to help users become more comfortable
with wireless access;
We will create a booklet (financed by advertising or sponsorship) instructing
Dayton wireless Internet users on how to benefit from this service;
We will create a mini trade show which focuses on this new Dayton service
during the "kick-off" weekend.
Please let me know, soon - if you are interested in participating as a volunteer.
We already have many volunteers who are interested—but we need more.
Your participation can make a difference.
Peter Hess
Chairman
Wireless Dayton Days
chairman (at) wirelessdaytondays.org
© 2005 Dayton Microcomputer Association, Inc. (DMA®)
Computerfest ®, DMA ® and the DMA ® Arrow Logo are either registered trademarks or are trademarks of the Dayton Microcomputer Association, Inc., an Ohio 501c(3) non-profit organization. All content, except external link images, are copyright 2005 The Dayton Microcomputer Association, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.