The City of Boston will announce a new public Wi-Fi program today to bring free internet access to the city's neighborhood business districts.
Starting later this year, the city will install public wireless networks in 20 "Main Streets" business districts, a move the city says will add another selling point for businesses in those neighborhoods.
"There's no better place to launch this in our small business districts," Mayor Martin J. Walsh said. "It's a way for us to support our small businesses."
The city said careful choices were made about where to roll out the service.
"We're looking to make very targeted, strategic investments," said Justin Holmes, Interim CIO for the City of Boston. "What we're not interested in doing is blanket coverage across the city."
The network, which Holmes said will have the same security and filters as City Hall's network, will cost about $500,000 to install. That cost, largely up-front purchases of equipment, is already in Walsh's 2015 budget.
Walsh said increasing connectivity is a "priority."
Adie Tomer, a senior research associate at the Brookings Institution Metropolitan Policy Program, said the proposal puts Boston ahead of many other cities.
"Most cities don't have these large-scale, free, public Wi-Fi networks," Tomer said. "It's going to be a necessary step."
Tomer said increased Wi-Fi, especially in neighborhoods, can increase "digital literacy."
"Things like free public Wi-Fi offer another opportunity for folks to say, 'Here's how you can benefit from the Internet,'" Tomer said. "It's critical for their economic opportunities down the road. This is a very equitable move by the city."
Still, other high profile public Wi-Fi networks have hit snags or fallen apart entirely. In Philadelphia, the service fell apart after the city's partner bailed out. Boston's network will be built on top of the city-owned fiber optic network that connects city buildings. Because of this, Holmes said, maintenance and recurring costs will be small and the network will not be dependent on a third party.
Boston has completed its largest public wireless hot-spot in Grove Hall, a 1.5 square mile area that includes two of the 20 Main Streets districts.
Also today, Walsh will re-brand existing public wireless networks as "Wicked Free WiFi," designed to encourage more people to use the service.
"We want Boston to be seen as a place that has fun, free 21st century commodities," Holmes said.
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