May 2008
Wi-Fi Community Meeting
A public meeting was held Tuesday, April 29, 2008 to discuss the status of the wireless network project. Representatives from the City, the Internet Service Provider and Network Integrator were present. A copy of the presentation is available by clicking here.
For more information, email Andrea Arnold at andrea.arnold@decaturga.com.
Phases I & II of the Decatur Wireless Network Go Live
In October 2006, the City of Decatur was selected to receive grant funding to establish a wireless broadband network or “Wi-Fi” through the Governor's Wireless Communities Georgia Program.
The city has partnered with Agnes Scott College, City Schools of Decatur, Columbia Theological Seminary and the Downtown Development Authority to build a citywide wireless network.
The City of Decatur owns the wireless network and partners with an Internet Service Provider (ISP), Get The Speed, for the operation of the network.
When the project is complete, the network will provide high-speed, wireless Internet access for residents, businesses, students and visitors throughout the city.
The goals of the program are to
• Provide wireless networking for mobile city staff to enhance productivity (police, fire, public works, parking meters, inspections).
• Offer affordable Internet access to students to access homework and school network resources.
• Provide institutional wireless networking beyond campus limits.
• Attract and retain businesses in the commercial business districts.
• Enhance options to live, work, play, and learn while in Decatur.
Phases I & II
Construction of Phases I & II is complete and the service area is now available for public access. The coverage area of the network includes downtown Decatur, the campus of Agnes Scott College and the Ponce de Leon Avenue corridor.
>Click for map of coverage area (MS Word)
>Click for map of network design (MS Word)
If you cannot determine if you are in the coverage area based on the map, please contact the ISP via email at sales@getthespeed.com or 1-888-945-WiFi (9434).
WiFi Access
Click on Access Instructions (PDF) for information on how to connect to the network. The network broadcasts as "DecaturWiFi".
For additional information and to sign up, visit www.getthespeed.com or call 1-888-945-WiFi (9434).
Technical support is available 24x7. Please report technical concerns to sales@getthespeed.com or call 1-888-945-WiFi (9434). Your feedback will help us to improve the network.
Rates
Get The Speed offers two consecutive hours of free access at 128kbps and high speed access for hourly, daily, and monthly rates.
Hourly Internet Access - $2.95
Hourly Wireless Internet Access within the DecaturWiFi network. Additional minutes billed at $0.05 per minute.
24 Hour Access - $7.95
24 Hours of continuous access to the wireless internet within the DecaturWiFi Network. This plan will not auto-renew.
Single Month Access - $29.95
One single month of continuous access to the wireless internet within the DecaturWiFi Network. This plan will NOT auto-renew.
12 Month Subscription Plan - $21.95
12 Months of continuous access the wireless internet within the DecaturWiFi Network billed on a monthly basis. This plan will auto-renew for 12 consecutive months.
In many cases, a wireless modem will be required to bring the wireless signal into your residence or business. Click here to determine if you may need a wireless modem. Modems are available through Get The Speed for purchase or lease.
Partners
In addition to the State of Georgia and the City of Decatur, Agnes Scott College, City Schools of Decatur, Columbia Theological Seminary, and the Downtown Development Authority all provided financial support to offset the capital expenses of the network. Another partner is Cisco Systems which is the network equipment vendor. The city's network will be a Cisco case study and will serve as a showcase site for the State of Georgia and the Southeast.
VC3, Inc. provided network design and installation services and will maintain the network.
In-kind contributions have been committed by the Decatur Business Association, Decatur Education Foundation, Decatur Housing Authority, DeKalb Convention & Visitor’s Bureau, DeKalb Library System – Decatur Branch, Oakhurst Business Association and Young Professionals of Decatur.
When the entire project is complete, the network will provide wireless Internet access for residents, businesses, students and visitors throughout the city. There is a fee associated with the service, with a price break for low-income families. For more information about the grant or the program, contact Andrea Arnold, 404-370-4102 or andrea.arnold@decaturga.com.
Phase III
Phase III will extend the network throughout the rest of the city. Blanket coverage in the outlying areas will be more difficult due to foliage, terrain and a lack of accessible mounting assets (i.e., utility poles). The goal for the completion of Phase III is Summer 2008.