Free Wi-Fi goes online in 2 places

As the city of Seattle sorts out ways to provide high-speed Internet, one small piece launched yesterday in two districts, with hopes that it can help businesses boost customer traffic.

Appearing at The Wellington restaurant in Columbia City, Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels announced the availability of free wireless Internet, or Wi-Fi, in core areas of Columbia City and the University District. Within a month, access is also set to be available in four parks: Occidental in Pioneer Square, Westlake and Freeway in the downtown area, and Victor Steinbrueck at Pike Place Market.

The "Seattle Wi-Fi Hotspots," designated by placards on lampposts and telephone poles, are part of a pilot project to determine whether providing broadband Internet access will draw laptop-equipped customers to cafes and restaurants more frequently and whether it will increase use of public parks.

If it's successful, the city said it would consider rolling out the service to more areas.

But officials also said it wasn't likely that the city would use Wi-Fi technology to blanket the city with municipally provided broadband service.

Instead, the city's Broadband and Telecommunications Task Force has recommended in a draft report that the city use existing and new fiber-optic cable for such service. Details of the recommendation will be included in a report due out Tuesday.

The idea of municipalities providing broadband service is catching on nationwide. Philadelphia and San Francisco have announced citywide Wi-Fi plans, and Spokane instituted a wide-ranging network last year.

Wi-Fi uses unlicensed broadcast spectrum, or airwaves, to deliver high-speed Internet access through a series of antennas positioned on telephone poles or other locations. Those antennas, in turn, are connected to the Internet. Depending on the location, each antenna can provide a coverage area of about 1,000 feet.

Seattle City Councilman Jim Compton, who chairs the Utilities and Technology Committee, said yesterday he originally thought Wi-Fi might be the answer to Seattle's long-term broadband needs. But based on work done by the task force, he thinks fiber is the way to go.

Compton said he intends to introduce legislation to establish an "Office of Broadband" to help coordinate efforts. The goal, he said, would be to extend the fiber network so that data, telephone and TV can reach every home through a single connection.

He acknowledged there will be challenges, including substantial costs. "I don't know what the business model will be," Compton said.

He said he envisions a higher-tech version of Tacoma's Click Network, which years ago extended broadband to homes through coaxial cable. The draft report says Seattle and other public entities have installed more than 450 miles of fiber-optic cable in the city.

"The fiber is in the downtown area and also extends to many city facilities and schools. ... Within a few years, city fiber will connect to all neighborhoods; however, the fiber will not be installed on every street," the draft says.

Seattle's Wi-Fi pilot project is microscopic by contrast. Starting in two neighborhoods and four parks, it cost $115,000, including $65,000 in equipment. Officials have earmarked enough money to extend the program for five years, but the project will be evaluated after six- and 12-month intervals.

The program will be maintained by the city's Department of Information Technology while the Internet access will be paid for through partnerships. In the University District, the University of Washington will pay for access stretching roughly along University Way Northeast from Northeast 50th Street to Northeast 40th Street.

In Columbia City, Internet access will be paid for by two nonprofit organizations: HomeSight and Atlantic Street Center. The coverage area runs along Rainier Avenue South from South Alaska Street to South Dawson Street.

Nickels was the first to try out the network yesterday. "If I can do it, anyone can," he said. The demonstration went flawlessly.

One challenge will be usage — both too much and too little. The system is designed for a maximum of 50 users in each neighborhood.

At the same time, businesses will have to figure out how to turn it into an advantage.

Evan Andres, an owner of La Medusa, a Sicilian restaurant in Columbia City, said he hopes laptop-toting patrons enjoy dinner but don't linger too long.

"What if they stay two to three hours and buy only one cup of coffee?" he wondered. "Or they don't buy anything and bring in their own drinks? I don't want to be the Wi-Fi police."

Seattle Times staff reporter Peter Lewis contributed to this story. Tricia Duryee: 206-464-3283 or tduryee@seattletimes.com