How Free Public Internet Access can be Beneficial for Towns and Cities

by David Morris Content Writer

Aside from allowing people to check their email, there are many other benefits to a free public Wi-Fi zone. A free and public wireless means that people can connect to a world in which they feel comfortable, where they can reach the closest restaurant, look at pictures from their friends, and do whatever they love doing online without using up megabytes on their data plan.

Here are some real benefits to free public internet access:

Disaster Relief Management

Where free public access can really be beneficial is disaster relief. All you need is a small generator or solar panel to power the network so that it’s running 24/7. In addition, the zone’s administrator can add information to their website to spread information about where to volunteer or get help, what roads are closed, and what supplies are needed. As an example, if Royalton’s green had free Wi-Fi on the day after “Irene” hit, people might have been able to coordinate their efforts even more quickly than they did. Wi-Fi zones can be really helpful in a post-disaster situation.

Education and the Digital Divide

Then there’s the great Digital Divide where some people are being left behind because they lack access to internet or computers. Libraries are helping to bridge the gap. For instance, one project, the Internet Interns, helps individuals become more computer savvy. But libraries have closing times. The importance of a free public zone cannot be stressed enough. There have been instances where students have driven 10 or 20 miles to sit outside a closed library just to use its Wi-Fi. And people who’ve bought pizza from a restaurant just because it had free Wi-Fi. If your town or city had one of ATT internet packages students would be able to do their homework close to home, others could check their email, or even apply for a job.

Tourism and Town Promotion

Free public zones can go a long way in making even small towns wireless zones with a landing page for everyone to use the free zone and staying in the town to explore more making it beneficial for local commerce. Take Woodstock as an example. One of the first towns in Vermont to create its own wireless zone throughout its downtown area Woodstock become a destination town, making it “cool” and “hip”. A free zone gives people motivation to stop and explore the town more, while also allowing it to be recognized as a forward-thinking place. Another case in point is Ludlow, a village of just 800 people. In busy weeks their free Wi-Fi zone was used by more than 1500 individuals, most of them from out of town. They stopped in at one of Ludlow’s restaurants or stores and decided to log on to the zone maybe to check their email. But each of those visitors stayed longer to see what else the town had to offer. Again, great for business.

Not only does a free public Wi-Fi zone help in mitigating a disaster situation, it also helps to bridge the digital divide. As a communication tool in big cities and small towns it can send the message that even a town is well informed and forward-thinking, and ready to welcome positive change. We should all help towns implement these zones in the near future to become a key part of communication in a disaster situation and its aftermath.