How a downtown wireless Internet network should be used and maintained will be the focus of a meeting today between Jason Lovett, Rome’s information technology director, and other city officials.
The city is planning to set up a Wi-Fi network that would provide Internet service between the Oostanaula River and Third Street as well as from First to Seventh avenues.
The meeting comes on the heels of the city’s decision to award the contract for installing the network to Canton-based Gibson Technical Services. While Lovett said earlier this year the network would be operational by April, no timeline for its installation currently exists.
“What we have said is this award is contingent on these operating decisions,” Lovett said. “Will we have premium level service or will it be free? Will we have building penetration?”
The ad hoc committee has several other questions that must be answered before the installation can begin, Lovett said.
“We’ve got to talk about how to brand the network,” Lovett said. “Is it going to be called ‘Wireless Rome’ or something? We’ve got to talk about how advertisements would be directed. There are decisions there we’ve got to make.”
A decision about filtering specific content — making certain Web sites impossible to access — is also on the agenda.
The Wi-Fi network is currently a one-year pilot project. A $22,500 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission, along with a matching amount in city money, will pay for the network.
Santa Clara, Calif., company Sky-Pilot Networks was in the running for the job along with Gibson Technical Services, which got the award. Both their proposals came in at just less than $45,000.
