On Wednesday, January 28, 2004, Riverside introduced free Wireless
Access to residents and visitors alike. SmartRiverside launched its
Downtown Wireless Mall project that provides free high-speed wireless
Internet access, on the Main Street Pedestrian Mall, to anyone with a
laptop computer or PDA with wireless capabilities. Since that
time donations have enable this program to expand to the Riverside
Market Place and Riverside Municipal Airport.
The project was made possible through a public-private partnership
spearheaded by SmartRiverside, a non-profit charged with improving the
quality of life of those who choose to live, work, or play in Riverside
through innovative, targeted technology projects and related economic
development initiatives.
Ted Weggeland, Director of The Historic Mission Inn Corporation, the
firm that operates the Mission Inn and Convention Center, supported the
project and agrees: "In order to attract additional conventions and
spur tourism, downtown Riverside must be business and technology
friendly. A "wireless mall" is an important first step in creating the
atmosphere necessary to continue attracting groups to our downtown,
hotels and convention center. And it has set Riverside apart from its
competition."
Another supporter, and local technology executive, Rajan Kasetty,
President & CEO of Infotech Software Solutions, Inc. in Riverside,
was struck by the clear promotional value of the project: "Being a
technology company, we have a natural interest in creating a high-tech
environment in Riverside that can co-exist with rich tradition and
heritage. The city of Riverside now joins the select few cities around
the world pioneering the new age of connectivity. I believe it sends
out a very a good signal. The Downtown Wireless Mall will help grow
businesses in the area while attracting young professionals who have
traditionally looked outside Riverside for not only employment but also
for recreation and entertainment.”
John Brown, of the Riverside Downtown Partnership, sees a larger role
of the network in continuing to improve the downtown district as a
whole. He said "The Wireless Mall project sends a strong signal that
Riverside, and particularly Downtown Riverside, is a savvy player in
new technology. The exchange of information and ideas is critical to a
creative, vibrant economy, and today's reality is that wireless access
to the Internet is critical to that exchange. The Main Street
Pedestrian Mall, situated in Riverside's commercial, government and
justice center, is the ideal location to launch this initiative."
Users with notebook computers or hand-held devices (PDAs) that have
wireless capabilities simply need to click onto their Web browser, as
they would from home or work, and they will get high-speed access.
Depending on the amount of users in any one area, however, service
could be slowed or interrupted. That said, hundreds of users could
simultaneously use the network and be supported.
The coverage area of the project extends some eight blocks through the
core of Downtown Riverside, along the Main Street Pedestrian Mall, from
Third Street near the Convention Center in the north, to near 11th
Street near the Riverside County Superior Court buildings in the south.
Additionally, the jury assembly room in the county courthouse will have
wireless coverage as part of this project. In addition, Riverside
Market Place and the Riverside Municipal Airport have coverage.
Wireless Internet services are a rapidly growing technology. Public
wireless networks, such as the Downtown Wireless Mall, are on the rise.
Nationwide, thousands of wireless networks are being created.
Municipal governments support a few of these networks, but most are in
interior commercial businesses, and often charge a fee for services.
The City of Riverside’s “WirelessRiverside” is
different in that it is free to the user.
This project is meant to be a proof in concept for free wireless
service provision in the City of Riverside. The project has been
a great success and the network has achieved month or month growth from
its inception. The next phase will be to select a vendor to
deliver City-wide coverage for not just the businesses, but for most
residences as well.
Project Sponsors:
· SmartRiverside
· City of Riverside
· The Carpenter Foundation
· The Mission Inn
· Altura Credit Union
· Tata Consultancy Services
· Jaguar Computer Systems, Inc.
· Best, Best & Krieger
· Charter Communications
· City of Riverside Public Utilities
· Riverside Marriott
· Infotech America, Inc.
· Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce – Downtown Division
· The Press-Enterprise
· University of California, Riverside
· Riverside County Superior Court
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