# State parks to offer wireless Internet



## Hamilton Reef

State parks to offer wireless Internet 

http://www.mlive.com/news/muchronicle/index.ssf?/base/news-3/1107792910282250.xml

Monday, February 07, 2005

A type of surfing that has nothing to do with waves will be offered this summer at several state parks in West Michigan. Visitors to state parks in Grand Haven, Ludington, Pentwater and Holland will be able to surf the Internet from the comfort of their tents, motor homes or boats. 

Wireless Internet, or Wi-Fi, will go live at 10 state parks, docks, rest areas and welcome centers this spring, state officials say. Visitors with Wi-Fi-enabled computers and other devices will be able to access state-run Web sites for free, and the rest of the Internet using their credit card.

SBC Communications Inc. wired seven of the sites late last year, installing small antennas atop buildings and in other locations at Holland State Park, Grand Haven State Park, Ludington State Park, Mackinac Island State Dock, New Buffalo Welcome Center, Coldwater Welcome Center and the Clarkston Rest Area. 

The company plans to hook up the last three sites -- the East Tawas dock, Charles Mears State Park in Pentwater and Sterling State Park in Monroe -- in coming months and have them ready to go before the locations reopen in April, said Kurt Weiss, communications director for the Michigan Department of Information Technology. 

The state is going wireless because people asked for it, Weiss said. 

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources surveyed state parks users on services they'd like to see, and Wireless Internet and cable television were at the top of the list. 

The state is starting with Wi-Fi to see the level of interest in high-tech services. 

"I know for a lot of people, it is a big plus, because they don't have to be in the office. They can be with their family, their kids, their friends," Weiss said. 

It will cost users $3.95 for two hours of access, or $7.95 for the day, with download speeds about 50 times faster than a dial-up connection. 

"Michigan is the first state in the nation to provide this service at state campgrounds," said SBC spokeswoman Jessica Nunez. "It just shows how much technology has evolved." 

The company is prepared to wire another 200 or so Michigan state parks and other sites if the service proves popular, Nunez said. 

SBC, under contract with the state for technological services, is wiring the sites for free as a way to promote its FreedomLink Wi-Fi service. 

Nunez said SBC also has installed Wi-Fi antennas at one state park in California. By the end of May, access will be available in a total of 85 California state parks, the largest deployment of such services in the nation.


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## twohats

Is'nt the point of camping to get away from all the phones,computers,t.v,and city trash that melts are brains.


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## lzqwhr

A lot of companies have employees that 'work from home'. Imagine being able to camp and get paid for work at the same time :yikes: Sort of like taking your job/office to the campground.


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## Hamilton Reef

The White River Campground is three miles from me. During the summer there are several seasonal campers that commute to work in Muskegon. This keeps the wife and kids occupied and dad can play for the evenings. The campground does not yet have access to cable or WiFi, but will provide the service someday. Then dad can goof off.


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