Free Public Wi-Fi Networks now Available in Piedmont and Grant Parks

Staff Report

Mayor Kasim Reed announced this week that free Wi-Fi is available to visitors of Piedmont and Grant Parks. Park-goers will be able to stay connected with their laptop computers, smartphones, tablets and other Wi-Fi enabled devices as they enjoy the amenities or attend any of the many festivals held in these widely-visited parks.

The initiative advances Mayor Reed’s goal of making Atlanta a leading technology city and affirms the recent eCity 2013 designation from Google that ranks Atlanta among America’s leading cities in the digital economy.

“With this new initiative, we have made a targeted investment to improve our city’s wireless infrastructure and expand Internet access,” said Reed in press release. “As Atlanta continues to grow as a global hub of technology and innovation in the 21st Century, we must find ways to support and drive technological advances. This initiative moves us forward on the path to constant connectivity.”

Improving the city’s public spaces is a priority for this Administration. The city’s Department of Information Technology designed the system to provide visitors with a fast and efficient Internet connection with a maximum throughput of 2-3 mbps within the hotspot zone coverage locations. The wireless network is supported through Comcast Business Internet Services. The network will support 1,000 – 2,000 concurrent Internet connections.

Visitors accessing Wi-Fi services in Piedmont and Grant Parks can connect by selecting the “CofAtlanta-Piedmontpark” or “CofAtlanta-Grant” network in their Wi-Fi settings.

The hotspot zones in Piedmont Park are the Greystone Pavilion, Tennis Center, Greensward Pavilion, Legacy Fountain area, the Visitor Center, Noguchi Playground, the Meadows and Park Tavern. The hotspot zones in Grant Park are the Grant Recreation Basketball and Tennis Courts, the pool and playground, the Cyclorama and picnic pavilions.

“Our charge is to continuously improve services to meet the technology needs of the City of Atlanta,” said Chief Information Officer Michael Dogan in the release. “Wireless connectivity is an important tool that supports economic, educational and social benefits within our city parks. Innovative deployment of this wireless initiative presents an exciting opportunity for communities across Atlanta.”