News Release

September 17, 2007

Contacts
Leslye Asera, Community Relations Manager (925) 671-3272
lasera@ci.concord.ca.us

Free Wi-Fi Week wireless Internet Lounge in Concord Thursday

The highlight of Free Wi-Fi Week in Concord takes place this Thursday evening, Sept. 20, in Todos Santos Plaza in downtown Concord. The City of Concord, MetroFi, Inc. and Todos Santos Business Association (TSBA) are presenting a week of events to raise awareness about Concord’s new Wi-Fi network.

Wireless Internet Lounge and Wire-cutting Ceremony

Information about connecting to the new wireless network will be available at the MetroFi Wireless Internet Lounge at the Music & Farmers’ Market event in Todos Santos Plaza on Thursday evening. The public is invited to bring Wi-Fi enabled laptops or handheld devices to the lounge from 6 to 8 p.m. where they can sit on comfortable bubble furniture and enjoy the DSL-like speeds the MetroFi network provides.

Wireless modem retailer ExpressNets will also be in the lounge to answer questions about how to use signal-boosting Wi-Fi modems for improved network reception indoors.

Musical guest that evening will be Argentinean guitar group Los Pinguos on the Todos Santos Stage from 6:30 to 8 p.m. At intermission, city and MetroFi officials, and CBS 5 news anchor Ann Notarangelo will be on hand for a wire-cutting ceremony, signifying the end of wire-dependent connections and celebrating the dawn of the era of wireless connectivity.   

Concord Free Wi-Fi Week officially began with a mayoral proclamation during intermission at the California Symphony’s free “Pops on the Plaza” concert in Todos Santos Plaza on Sept. 15.

Concord one of first to offer free Wi-Fi network

The City of Concord was among the first in a handful of California cities to deploy a municipal Wi-Fi network delivering free Internet access to city employees, residents, businesses and visitors. Owned and operated by MetroFi, the Concord network was initially rolled out in April 2007 after a pilot program in the downtown area, and has grown significantly since then. In August, there were 3,400 unique network users who spent 62,300 hours online in nearly 47,000 individual sessions (averaging 80 minutes per session).

The network also supports the productivity of mobile city workers (such as building inspectors) and is being explored by the police department for potential use in public safety.

Free Network Demonstrations

Throughout the week, TSBA businesses are hosting MetroFi network demonstrations at their retail locations:

  • Tuesday, Sept. 18: 11:30 am – 1 p.m., Peet’s Coffee & Tea, 2071 Salvio St. at Mt. Diablo St.
  • Wednesday, Sept. 19: 11:30 am – 1 pm, Panama Bay Coffee House, 2151 Salvio St. at Grant St.
  • Friday, Sept. 20: 6-8 pm, Brenden Theatre, 1985 Willow Pass Rd. at Galindo St.

For a complete listing of Free Wi-Fi Week events and demonstrations, visit the City of Concord’s Web site at www.cityofconcord.org and click on the Free Wi-Fi Week information in the News and Events box.

For a map of the network’s current coverage areas, FAQs and other information about Concord’s free Wi-Fi, visit www.MetroFi.com.