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Plan spreads free or low-cost access over the entire county

Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson had his head in a high-tech cloud Thursday when he spelled out a vision of an Oakland County with wireless Internet access for free or little cost from border to border.

He used his forum at the annual State of the County address to say that providing such access is key to establishing Oakland County as a leader in technology innovations. Increasingly, wireless Internet access is becoming a magnet for tech-savvy professionals who depend on readily available Internet access in their daily lives, whether at home, at work or when running errands.

"Wi-Fi can add another layer to the solid technology infrastructure that has already been built in Oakland County," Patterson said. "A new initiative ... is the challenge of creating a tech cloud over Oakland County."

Hotspots of wireless access, also called Wi-Fi, can be found on college campuses and in coffee shops, state parks and small cities like Grand Haven, on the state's Lake Michigan shore. But Oakland County's 910-square miles would become one of the biggest areas completely covered by wireless access.

Some cities have areas of wireless access, such as San Francisco and Athens, Ga. Others, including Philadelphia, Boston and Albuquerque, N.M., are contemplating creating wide swaths of wireless access. Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick has said he wants downtown Detroit to become wireless.

Oakland County's plan is an ambitious one that may take a few years, county officials admit, but it's doable.

"We're also being realistic," said Phil Bertolini, deputy county executive. "This is a big project, and we know it's going to take some time. But we also think it's going to have huge benefits.

"The only way we can get the county prepared for jobs of tomorrow is to provide the tools people need," he added.

The county would partner with a private business that would provide the wireless service. In exchange, the county would make its network of radio towers, utility poles and broadband infrastructure available for the business to use. The county plans to meet this month with businesses that might be interested in the job.

Ultimately, the county would like the business to provide free service for people who would be willing to accept slower access. Many residents would want to keep higher-speed connections, said Bertolini, and would pay a fee for that. The county wants to avoid using tax dollars for the project.

In Grand Haven, monthly fees are $20. Ottawa Wireless completed wiring the city in July. Since then, 350 people have signed up for the service, and more than 1,000 more have used it, said Les Lewis, the firm's chief financial officer.

The city gets a 5-percent franchise fee from Ottawa. Users sign up for the service online.

"I look forward to the day that my laptop works no differently than my cell phone," Grand Haven Mayor Roger Bergman said. "I'm going to be able to use my laptop anywhere in the country. We're going to be seeing some pretty exciting things in the next 10 years."

The state also is looking to expand its network of wireless hotspots. Its Information Technology Department has wired state parks in Holland, Ludington and Grand Haven, welcome centers in Coldwater and New Buffalo and a rest area in Clarkston. SBC provides the service for either $7.95 a day or $19.95 a month, said Kurt Weiss, the department's spokesman.

"You don't see a lot of senior citizens using their laptops in the parks, but young people really love it," he said. "If people are using it and liking it, we'll expand it."

Patterson also wants to help bridge the digital divide by helping lower-income residents get computers if they don't have the means to buy one. Partnering with private businesses and foundations, the county would offer free or low-cost computers to people willing to take training classes.

Patterson can expect widespread support for his wireless initiative from the Oakland County Board of Commissioners, even the Democrats.

"This is an exciting opportunity that will definitely set us apart," said county Commissioner Helaine Zack, a Huntington Woods Democrat. Patterson also broached the thorny subject of Cobo Hall in his speech and said the county will not provide money for a facility that's been badly mismanaged.

"Please understand, this is not anti-Detroit rhetoric. This is prudent fiscal management talking," he said.

Copyright © 2004. Detroit Free Press.