January 27, 2005

California's State Parks Department, in cooperation with mobile access provider SBC Communications have joined forces to install Wi-Fi hotspots at 85 state parks.

Park officials say Internet access will enhance users' vacation experiences.

SBC Communications has struck a deal with the California State Parks Department to enhance Californians' outdoor experience by providing wireless high-speed Internet access to the picnic tables, tents, RV spaces and cabins of 85 state parks.

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"We are living in a time when more and more people are communicating through the Internet," said state parks director Ruth Coleman. "I think our visitors will appreciate a new service that helps them stay in touch with family, friends or even the workplace, if need be."

In a joint announcement, the Parks Department and SBC noted that visitors with Wi-Fi enabled laptops will be able to "send e-mail and instant messages to communicate with family and friends, share digital pictures of their vacation, obtain driving directions, or locate hiking trails or nearby restaurants."

Users will need to be within 150 to 200 feet of a hotspot to access the system, so backpackers are probably out of luck, at least so far.

San Elijo State Beach, located near San Diego, will be the first state park to offer the SBC FreedomLink service. Over the next six months, 84 other California state parks will become SBC Wi-Fi locations. SBC boasts that this will be the largest Wi-Fi deployment in any park system nationwide.

Visitors to the Wi-Fi equipped parks will have free access to state operated Web sites, including the state parks information site.

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"Through our Web sites, visitors can do an electronic exploration of our park system to obtain ideas for their vacation." Coleman said.

Users who subscribe to SBC's DSL service will be charged US$1.95 per month for Wi-Fi access at the parks. Non-SBC customers will be charged $7.95 a day, or $19.95 a month.

California has a total of 278 state parks, which get 85 million visitors a year.

Source: Wireless Week

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