Free Wifi to be Installed in Downtown Guelph

Downtown Guelph Business Association to introduce service in as little as six months

The Downtown Guelph Business Association announced plans to implement free Wifi in downtown Guelph, which may be up and running in as little as six months. Executive Director of the association, Marty Williams, announced the plan for downtown Guelph last week.

Williams says that the initial testing for the project will cost the city around $1,000, and the actual installation and running of the Wifi across downtown will stretch monthly costs for the city into the thousands. However, Williams plans to make the project pay for itself through advertising on the splash page of the Wifi network (like the ones used in hotels), which will not only help pay for the project, but will also give local businesses a great forum for advertising sales and events downtown. The implementation of free downtown Wifi, will also mean cheaper costs for Internet among downtown businesses, and increases the potential for economic expansion and growth in the downtown core.

One of the other advantages to having downtown Wifi, and one of the reasons why Wifi is being installed, is to assist tourists who may be checking out downtown Guelph. Free Wifi will not only help tourists buy tickets, book hotels, and get around the city, but will also allow for more informative tours of downtown by providing information on Guelph’s historic landmarks. Internet access downtown could lead an all-around better tourism experience

“If someone visits the city and gets off the train, how do they know where to go?” said Rob Campbell, a downtown mortgage agent, to the Guelph Mercury. “The first thing they do is take out their phones and tablets. If we have Wifi, a splash page could tell them to go to the Guelph booth at city hall.”

Of course, Wifi will also be able to assist students at the university by providing access to a free, off-campus server. Students will no longer be forced into the confines of the library or other packed areas on-campus, and will be able to do assignments and access library documents from coffee shops, while waiting for a bus, and maybe even sitting in their apartments, as long as they’re downtown.

The Wifi will hopefully cover all of the downtown area through the use weather-proof receivers that will be hooked into lamp posts along the streets, which has some people in the Guelph area worried about potentially negative environmental and health consequences. Electromagnetic hypersensitivity is the main concern, which is a health problem that affects a few in every million, and may be something to look out for when the project is eventually up and running.

The Downtown Guelph Business Association is optimistic about the project, and is confident that it will cut costs and allow for the expansion of all businesses in the downtown area. In a world where it is becoming crucial for everyone to stay connected in an online environment, Guelph’s move to public Wifi allows for the inclusion of a greater array of social classes and demographics. The implementation of the program downtown has every indication of being a positive move for the future of the city.