Downtown Cedar Rapids to get Wi-Fi network

CEDAR RAPIDS - Downtown Cedar Rapids will soon have a Wi-Fi network, covering one square mile and including NewBo City Market and the new McGrath City Amphitheater.

ImOn Communications is funding the project, including infrastructure and maintenance costs. Jeff Janssen, vice president of sales and marketing at ImOn Communications, said the company is not releasing the total cost of the project, but that it is a 'significant investment.”

ImOn is installing about 70 'access points” around the area, which are connected to the communications company's fiber network. Janssen said the wireless network will become available as the access points are installed.

Wireless Internet is already available at the McGrath Amphitheatre, he said.

The company has set an end date of mid-Novemeber and the network will be able to handle hundreds of users at any given time.

'This is something we want to grow,” Janssen said, adding ImOn would like to next expand the network into city parks.

The project is being coordinated with the City of Cedar Rapids. The Wi-Fi network access points will be deployed on and powered by city streetlights and utility poles, and will provide network connections on city fiber optics in some areas.

ImOn's Wi-Fi system is not the city's first. A group of young professionals created an independent, not-for-profit organization called Corridor Free Wireless, or cFree Wireless, in 2004 to build a downtown wireless network.

But according to Gazette archives, the 2008 flood damaged the system, and it was never brought back to life.

'ImOn is proud to call downtown Cedar Rapids home and we want to continue to make the downtown area welcoming to those who work, live and visit here,” said Patrice Carroll, ImOn president and CEO, in a statement. 'We believe providing free ultrafast, reliable Wi-Fi service will add greatly to the downtown experience.”

This who connect to the network, which is called ImOn Free Wi-Fi, will get 2 hours of free access daily. ImOn's residential Internet customers will have unlimited free access to the network.

ImOn has partnered with Ovation Networks of Cedar Rapids for the installation and maintenance of the downtown Wi-Fi network.

'This project is a shining example of how public/private partnerships can be formed to provide valuable new services to the community of Cedar Rapids,” said Jeff Pomeranz, Cedar Rapids City Manager. 'I appreciate ImOn's contribution to make this happen, and their commitment to enhancing the quality of life for residents and visitors of our community. This new service is a big step toward our goal to make Cedar Rapids a ‘connected' city.”

The Gazette Company has an investment in ImOn.