BYU NewsNet - Wireless Internet becoming a locally common amenity

While browsing for CDs at Borders or grabbing lunch at McDonalds, an increasing number of people are simultaneously checking their email and browsing the Internet.

Throughout Utah Valley, and the nation, a wide variety of businesses are offering wireless Internet access to costumers who have a laptop.

“We are seeing more and more people all the time come in here to use the Internet,” a shift manager of a Juice and Java in downtown Provo said. “We offer wireless access for free, but do ask that the users at least buy a cup of coffee. Well, it doesn’t have to be coffee.”

Business owners see offering wireless Internet access as a low cost incentive to bring in more customers and help them stay longer, especially in a community saturated with Internet-savvy college students.

“As a consumer I know I would appreciate more places offering Wi-Fi access,” said owner and founder of Smart Cookie, Christian McDaniel. “With our location right across the street from BYU campus I just thought it would be a convenient service to offer so students could stop by, get a drink and do homework or whatever.”

Smart Cookie opened its doors 14 months ago and has been offering free wireless Internet to customers since day one.

McDaniel’s hypothesis that students would use the Internet while eating their Smart Cookies has since been verified many times over.

The establishment has people coming in everyday, multiple times a day to use the service, McDaniel said.

All wireless hotspots are not created equal, however, and just because a place has a “Wi-Fi Available Here” sign in the widow, doesn’t necessarily mean the access is free.

McDonalds, for example, advertises their wireless Internet access at every franchise location in Provo, but purchasing a Happy Meal isn’t the ticket to free Internet — the customer will also need a credit card.

Susan Bash, who oversees all the McDonalds franchises in Provo and Springville, said one can get connected for $2.95, but the price goes up from there depending on how long one wants to surf the Web.

The process is even more complicated at Starbucks and Borders Books. They advertise the availability of wireless access, but the customer who wants to log on has to first go to a T-Mobile store and pre-pay for the service.

Cingular is now offering a wireless Internet service in select cities across the country called BroadbandConnect, which may make wireless hotspots obsolete.

The service, which costs anywhere between $20 and $110 dollars a month, gives the user high-speed wireless Internet access anywhere in the city, or even nationwide. The coverage area is approaching that of what Cingular offers for cell phone service.

BroadbandConnect is currently available in Salt Lake County, and slated to be available in Utah Valley later this year.