St. Louis Board of Aldermen OK Wi-Fi Network

By Jerri Stroud, St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Feb. 10–AT&T Inc. will start building a wireless network for Internet access in downtown St. Louis as soon as the city issues permits, the company said Friday after the Board of Aldermen approved its proposal.

The downtown network could be completed about 90 days after the company obtains permits, probably in the next few weeks, a spokesman said. Customers could use it starting in June or July.

The network will use Wi-Fi technology, a wireless standard that runs on unlicensed spectrum. Most laptop computers and some other devices can use a Wi-Fi network.

The agreement first calls for AT&T to build a two-square-mile network that would stretch from downtown west to St. Louis University. If the city is satisfied with the initial rollout, AT&T would extend the network to another 60 square miles within about three years.

Residents and visitors will be able to access the network for 20 hours a month without charge. AT&T will sell subscriptions for additional access or for access at higher speeds.

In a statement, Cindy Brink-ley, president of AT&T Missouri, said the company is committed to “spread the benefits of broadband and mobility solutions as widely as possible. And with the diverse, tech-savvy population and growing tourism base here, St. Louis is an ideal city for deployment of city-wide Wi-Fi.”

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