|
|
Free Internet access discussed by EDC
Banner Daily Update posted Sun. June 24
By Pru Sowers
Banner Staff
Provincetown is considering participating in a Cape Cod regional program that would provide free wireless Internet access in town.
The Cape Cod Technical Council presented details to the Provincetown Economic Development Council last week of what it is calling “Unwired Village,” a nonprofit partnership between local businesses and the technical council to provide free wireless access in public places. Orleans and Falmouth have already signed up for the program.
EDC members were attracted by the idea of providing Internet access to visitors via a Provincetown website that would display information on all events, cultural institutions and local places of interest. In addition to potentially generating revenue for the town by selling ads to local businesses, it would take the town to a new level of technological sophistication, said Steve Melamed, EDC chairman.
“It would provide easy access for visitor to get a good picture of what’s happening. This could be a tremendous asset to the community, to the town,” he said.
Bill Dougal, EDC member, said that a “one-stop shopping” website is what is missing in Provincetown, where a visitor could go to one Internet site to see a complete calendar of local events and offerings. Currently, different groups like the Provincetown Chamber of Commerce, the Provincetown Business Guild and other local organizations offer separate websites promoting their specific activities and members. Dougal said it has proven difficult to get all the groups to work together in the past because each receives income from selling ads on their respective websites.
“So far we have not yet evolved to that level of cooperation because it affects the financial dynamics of each organization. Each has its own mission and targets different groups. They would be giving up a chunk of their advertising revenue,” by working to create one website, Dougal said.
The cost to the town would be $3,250 for five “nodes,” the wireless router, battery pack and antenna package that would provide Internet access. The nodes would be installed in locations around town where visitors congregate, such as around Town Hall, Lopes Square and the Provincetown Library. The town would also have to pay to design the website that would first pop up when a user accessed Unwired Village, which can range from simple to complex with a corresponding cost.
EDC members agreed last week to continue discussing whether to participate in a test of the system, probably off-season and in limited areas around town.
Unwired Village is funded by a $135,500 grant from the John Adams Innovation Institute, the economic development arm of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative.
For more on this story see the June 28 Provincetown Banner.
|
Waterfront park renovation scaled back
Baby turtles forge into the wild
Portuguese Festival draws big crowds
Levin lecture series begins with Pujol
A whale of a lab opening
The weekend openings are gearing up
Film Festival wrap-up
Sewer construction update
|
|
|
|
|
Jun 21st, 2007