Company seeks to launch wireless broadband network
serving Bend, Ore
Internet access at Drake Park? On top of Pilot
Butte? In the parking lot of Wal-Mart? It's close
to becoming a reality, according to a local group's
plans.
I Love My WiFi Corp., a Bend-based group, plans
to launch a citywide wireless broadband network
in Bend starting next week, said company co-owners
Tom Hogue and Chuck De Jarnett. Some residents may
already be receiving their signals, they said.
The two have been quietly formulating a business
plan for more than two years, they said, and developing
proprietary transmission devices and software to
keep operating costs low.
"We wanted to offer wireless Internet access
to people who couldn't afford it," said Hogue,
noting that his company is going to charge customers
about $3 for daily connections or $15 monthly.
The company now has 25 signal-transmitting locations
in the city, and the coverage zone extends to roughly
a five-mile radius from Awbrey Butte.
With a Wi-Fi network, anyone with a laptop computer
and Wi-Fi connectivity can connect to the Internet.
"I'm putting in a couple of new (transmission
points) every day," said De Jarnett, adding
that the devices are placed on private land with
owners' permission. "We're going to reach Alfalfa
in the spring (of next year)."
The company's Internet connection would be free
for 10 minutes, De Jarnett said, then users would
be taken to a Web site, where they can pay via PayPal
or credit card.
The co-owners did not say how much the project
costs, but called it a substantial investment.
BendBroadband, the region's leader in providing
broadband Internet access, declined to comment on
the project.
Bend will join Oregon cities like Ashland, Hermiston,
Lebanon and Medford with municipal Wi-Fi networks.
In some cases, municipal Wi-Fi is free because it
receives the backing of local government.
In Bend, the city doesn't know about I Love My
WiFi's plans, Hogue said, although company officials
want to talk to city officials about a potential
partnership.
Another company, Clearwire, established a wireless
network in Central Oregon earlier this year. Its
services are only available to subscribers, however.
One local online technology expert has a wait-and-see
attitude about I Love My WiFi, but he likes its
idea.
"(Municipal Wi-Fi) is definitely a viable
idea," said Eric Magidson, partner at Ordinal
Associates, an Internet technology consulting firm.
"Clearwire has proven people want to take
broadband technology with them where they go."
One concern Magidson does have, however, is the
security of wireless signals. While most Wi-Fi transmitters
encrypt messages to prevent the contents from being
understood by hackers, file sharing and music downloading
could open the door for anyone in Bend to get into
a user's computer without permission.
But co-owner De Jarnett said his company's network
will use encryption systems similar to those used
by banks, which are the most secure encryptions
available. In addition, no file sharing is allowed,
he said.
Hogue added that he expects as many as 1,000 users
to be on the Wi-Fi network on a daily basis, and
that the company is already eyeing other cities
if the concept succeeds.
"We knew we could offer a good service at
a fair price," he said.
"And we could introduce mobility to that equation.
We truly believe we can compete in the market."
An Internet-based phone service also is in the
plans, Hogue said.
