A Wi-Fi demonstration project by GeoWireless is installing outdoor Vivato 802.11g panels in parts of Kentucky’s capital city, Frankfort and other areas of the state.
The network provides visitors to the Kentucky Derby horse racing track with high-speed Internet access. Wi-Fi access is also available on the 24th floor at the Capital Plaza Tower; the first floor of the Transportation building; the Old Capitol Annex and grounds; the Frankfort Convention Center; the Kentucky History Museum; and the Capitol building and grounds.
The Wi-Fi network is being spearheaded by the state’s Governor, Ernie Fletcher, and the “Prescription for Innovation” initiative, which calls for full broadband deployment in the state by 2007.
The Wi-Fi demo project is a joint effort between the , Commonwealth Office of Technology and ConnectKentucky (Broadband Statewide Map). The mission of ConnectKentucky is to support the growth and economic development of technology in Kentucky.
The Kentucky Housing Corporation (KHC) has passed a mandate (pdf file) ruling that any new housing developments funded at least fifty percent by the KHC must be broadband ready.
Lexington, Kentucky is installing three outdoor Vivatos and will cover more than 18 square miles outside the downtown core. Mark Sievers, president of Lexington WiFi, said the recently-completed deployment site is one of 10 sites Lexington WiFi plans to install.
The total installation would involve 30-32 Vivato VP 2210 base stations and accompanying microcell APs. The Lexington WiFi network can be accessed by using desktop or laptop computers or other wireless devices such as PDAs equipped to connect via 802.11 (version ‘b’ or ‘g’) standards.
The initial market segment targeted by Lexington WiFi is residential, including house and apartment dwellers in the Beaumont Center area.
An inventory of statewide high-speed internet coverage has been created by Connect Kentucky.
In addition to broadband coverage maps, the Steering Committee also announced the release of the Community Benchmarking Tool. Upon completion of the Community Benchmarking Tool, communities will better understand their current technology usage and adoption rates in nine different sectors including education, agriculture, business, and tourism. With this information, community leaders and providers can more appropriately plan for the growth of technology in each community.
Kentucky’s Prescription for Innovation, is a comprehensive broadband deployment and adoption plan that will leverage state, federal, and private investment to blanket Kentucky with high-speed Internet access by 2007. Full deployment in Kentucky is expected to result in 14,000 jobs and $5 billion added to the gross state product annually.
Churchill Downs, headquartered in Louisville, Ky., owns and operates world-renowned horse racing venues throughout the United States. The Company’s seven racetracks in California, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky and Louisiana host many of North America’s most prestigious races, including the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks, Hollywood Gold Cup and Arlington Million.
The 131st running of the Kentucky Derby is scheduled for Sat., May 7 at Churchill Downs.
Meanwhile, in Nashville, Tennessee, a WiMAX cooperative has been formed. WiMAXCoop founder John Bransford says it could be a revolutionary mechanism through which consumers can band together and purchase broadband en masse.
WiMAXCoop is a mechanism through which urban consumers can band together and purchase broadband and related services and avoid the need for direct government involvement and telco lawsuits that may result. It could also be an effective way to remedy the prevailing problem of broadband monopolies or duopolies in most major US cities to boot.
