Aberdeen Downtown Going Wireless; Madison Should Follow!

today's special from RealMadison.org!

Supposedly someone at the Lake Area Improvement Corporation is working on downtown revitalization (although I'll be darned if I can get them to reply to my e-mails about the project).

Don't think too hard, kids: here's a great idea for Main Street development from our friends at the Aberdeen Downtown Association: make downtown one big wireless Internet hotspot!

When Margot Gillette took a job with the Aberdeen Downtown Association a few years ago, she started a to-do list.

No. 1 dealt with the [beautification] and revitalization of downtown Aberdeen. But the next item required a bit of technology.

"On my list of to-dos, No. 2 is to make downtown Wi-Fi," said Gillette, economic manager of the downtown association. "And that's just what we're doing."

The Aberdeen Downtown Association has partnered with Tel Serv Communications Inc., a local technology company, to make Main Street - from Sixth Avenue to Railroad Avenue - wireless. Downtown patrons will now be able to get wireless connections along the street and inside most downtown businesses. Eric Hanson, co-owner of Tel Serv, said about 20 businesses are participating so far. Others have shown interest.

[see Emily Arthur-Richardt, "Wi-Fi Now Available to Downtown Businesses," Aberdeen American News, 2008.08.21]

Among the pluses of a downtown wireless Internet hotspot:

• Wireless access can draw more students downtown (remember, every high school and college student in Madison has a wireless-equipped laptop).
• Employees can move around the store or office with wireless devices while helping customers.
• Visiting sales reps and other professionals can access Internet while calling on downtown businesses (sales reps like that kind of thing).

Tel Serv Communications is working with the Aberdeen Downtown Association to provide the free signal. Tel Serv co-owner Eric Hanson estimates the project cost "amounts to thousands of dollars." Heck, if Madison can spend $12,500 just to study the potential for high-tech business development, we can probably swing a few thousand to build a practical high-tech service that immediately and directly benefits thousands of Madison residents and visitors. Find a corporate partner (Knology? Midco?), give 'em ad rights to slap a little company logo on the hotspot welcome page, and let it rip!

Downtown hotspot for Madison -- add that to the to-do list!