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[IP] Monroe Students spread wi-fi





Begin forwarded message:

From: "John F. McMullen" <observer@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: June 23, 2006 8:33:57 AM EDT
To: "johnmac's living room" <johnmacsgroup@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: CardinalFarley List <CardinalFarley@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, All Hallows Class of 1956 <ah56@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Dewayne Hendricks <dewayne@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Dave Farber <farber@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Commonweal Mailing List <commonweal@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Monroe Students spread wi-fi

From the New York Daily News -- http://www.nydailynews.com/boroughs/ story/429005p-361758c.html

Students spread wi-fi
Tech wizards bridge digital divide in city
BY BILL EGBERT

Increasing numbers of city residents will be able to surf the Web while they dunk their doughnuts, thanks to technology students at a Bronx college.

Students in Monroe College's advanced wireless technology course are installing wireless Internet connections at several locations in the Bronx and upper Manhattan, including a Dunkin' Donuts in the east Bronx.

Last semester, they installed wi-fi in Manhattan's Stuyvesant Park, and at a Harlem coffee shop.

"It's good experience for them in a cutting-edge job," said their professor, John McMullen. "And it's a service to the community as well."

Not only will the Web access be free to anyone with a wi-fi-ready laptop, the installation and equipment are essentially free to the hot spot hosts.

While the students earn college credits, the hardware is donated by NYCwireless, a nonprofit promoting free wi-fi access in the city.

"The Monroe College students have done a lot of really important work," said Dana Spiegel, executive director of NYCwireless.

"They're really plugged into their community. They're the ones who know where the best places will be for new hot spots. They also help involve the community, which is crucial."

While City Hall is lagging far behind cities such as Chicago and Philadelphia in backing citywide wi-fi networks, small-scale initiatives like Monroe's and SoBRO's new hot spot at the HUB are starting to fill the gap - to the delight of local businesses left on the wrong side of the digital divide.

"We're really excited about it," said Billy Gonzales, owner of Billy's Deli & Grocery at 83 West Fordham Road, due to be wired shortly. "Our customers are excited too. I think it'll be good for business."

Other spots the class will turn hot this year include the Dunkin' Donuts on Boston Road and Burke Ave. in the Bronx, Java's Brewin' Coffee Shop in Harlem, Coogan's Restaurant in Washington Heights and Little Hands Day Care in Brooklyn.

Monroe's first collaboration with NYCwireless - wiring Stuyvesant Park in Manhattan - was a first in more ways than one. The hot spot was installed in conjunction with alternative energy nonprofit SolarOne, and is the first solar-powered wireless access in the New York area.

An interactive map of free wi-fi hot spots throughout the metro area can be found at http://www.nycwireless.net.

Bronx businesses interested in being wired as a public hot spot can contact McMullen at johnmac@xxxxxxxx

All contents  2006 Daily News, L.P
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