Cities poised to reap wireless benefits
Cities poised to reap wireless benefits

Two Oklahoma cities will offer municipally owned Internet service to residents and anyone else who happens to drop in:

•Vinita, a city of about 6,000 residents in northeast Oklahoma, already has monthly subscribers to its Internet service, and offers hourly rates to anyone stopping off Interstate 44 (Will Rogers Turnpike) or Route 66.

•Ardmore, a city of about 25,000 in south-central Oklahoma, expects to offer subscriptions to residents by the end of the month, as well as hourly rates for any visitors traveling along Interstate 35.

Offering public access is a byproduct of the real reason these cities are going wireless — and Enid and Altus, are seriously considering it. The timely information police officers, firefighters and emergency medical personnel will get is priceless, city leaders say.

The network in Vinita has been in place a few months. It has 135 customers paying $29.99 a month for unlimited access, and charges $2.99 per hour for temporary access, Vinita City Manager Charlie Enyart said. Enyart also is chairman of the Community Communications Authority, a public trust partnering with Internet service providers to bring wireless service to smaller communities.

He hopes the network will draw more people to Vinita, which boasts the world's largest McDonald's. The McDonald's and surrounding truck stops are among the busiest spots on the city's wireless network.

"There are 50,000 vehicles that pass Vinita on Interstate 44 every day and another 15,000 vehicles on Route 66,” Enyart said.

Enyart said covering the city cost about $750,000. The city signed a 12-year note to fund the project and is charging an extra $1.50 on each monthly utility bill, he said.

"Right now it (wireless system) is costing the community,” Enyart said. "But within two years the city should be stable as far as expense and start saving the city money.”

Antennas and transmitters have been set up across Ardmore, and by Friday police and fire department vehicles with laptop computers should be on the grid.

By the end of the month, residents and visitors in Ardmore will be able to access the Internet for $29.95 a month or $2.95 an hour, said Ron Gates, general manager of the Community Communications Authority.

The number of cities with municipal wireless networks is growing nationally, according to figures from MuniWireless, a Web site that tracks municipal network construction and issues. In July 2005, 122 communities owned some form of wireless network. Two years later, the number was 415, according to MuniWireless.

The technology isn't new, said the group's founder, Esme Vos, but medium-sized cities are pursuing it more aggressively and getting it done.

"Most of the problems that have popped up have been in larger cities,” Vos said. "It's much more difficult for them to do. There are a lot of tall buildings they have to work around. Politics are also a factor.

"Outside the big cities it's cheaper. I see a trend among faster-growing cities.”

Oklahoma City has a nearly citywide wireless network, but it's only for use by emergency personnel. Other cities such as Sapulpa and Tulsa have wireless hot spots in downtown areas or parks where people can log on to the Web.

Increasing wireless networks is the mission of the Community Communications Authority.

The statewide public trust partners with cities and contracts with vendors to build the networks.

Once the infrastructure is in place, the cities own the network, said Alan Holt, director of business development at Community Communications Authority.

The Community Communications Authority has helped Vinita and Ardmore get their networks started. City officials in Altus and Enid also are eying wireless options, Gates said.

In Vinita and Ardmore, some police cruisers and fire trucks already are equipped with laptops, allowing them to communicate and receive information via the wireless network.

"Essentially every police car becomes a command center,” Enyart said. With cameras on the cars, a dispatcher can watch a traffic stop in progress or officers can use e-mail to detail their locations when they believe criminals might be monitoring their movements on a police radio, said Dan Parrott, Ardmore city manager. With fire and rescue units, a doctor can monitor a patient while the patient is being taken to a hospital.

Firefighters can get a detailed layout map of a blazing building from their laptops, or a fire chief can monitor firefighting efforts with wireless cameras.

The service in Vinita and Ardmore also will deliver Voice over Internet Protocol phone service and video on demand. Wireless cellular phone service is coming as well, Gates said.

Using wireless technology, city officials are reading water meters without leaving their vehicles. Parrott said the technology also has allowed Ardmore to cut its water meter collection staff from seven to two.

He said this saves money through reduced salaries, benefits and workers' compensation claims. When employees work from their vehicles, there's less chance of an injury, Parrot said.

Contributing: State Correspondent Sheila Stogsdill

Leave a Comment

News Photo Galleriesview all