The Bonnaroo Music Festival in Manchester, Tenn., going from today to June 13, will have free Wi-Fi-based Internet access for all 90,000 attendees (though only “thousands” are expected to use it). The network is provided by Charter Communications using equipment from Cisco (Quote, Chart). The service will also be used for ticketing. — June 11, 2004
The Philadelphia Airport Residence Inn by Marriott is getting a “non-intrusive” Wi-Fi installation from Teletronics International. Instead of running Category 5 Ethernet cable to a number of access points, the company says it can run wireless off the existing cable television drops in each guest room. A patch antenna in each room handles the signal to any guests’ computers. This Marriott Residence is the launch of the Teletronics Wi-Fi system… no word on what the cost will be, if any, for hotel guests. The company also runs a number of EZhotspot locations around Annapolis, Md., and Arlington, Va. — June 11, 2004
The Department of Transportation in the state of Texas is planning to provide hotspots statewide at 84 rest areas and 12 Travel Information Centers. They’ve put out a request for proposal to find companies interested in installing the network. The state already has Wi-Fi set up at four areas on U.S. 287, two in Donley County and two more in Hardeman County. In addition to free Wi-Fi for anyone with a wireless device, the rest areas will also have Internet kiosks for checking e-mail and Web surfing. — June 10, 2004
Holy Sheetz! The Sheetz convenience store chain has opened its first “convenience restaurant” in Altoona, Penn. Of course, it’ll offer Wi-Fi — otherwise it wouldn’t be here. But the 10,000-square foot location on Pleasant Valley Boulevard also sounds like a smorgasbord of shopping goodness with brick oven pizza, DVD rentals via “DVD ATM machine,” and much more in what the company called a “modern quick-casual restaurant combined with the efficiency of a convenience store.” Feel pity for 7-11. — June 10, 2004
ICOA’s Airport Network Solutions (ANS) subsidiary has unwired another airport, this time Manchester Airport (MHT) in New Hampshire. The cost is $6.95 per day. Airport bulletins and info on flights can be accessed via the network at no cost at all. — June 10, 2004
Nortel Networks is making it possible for the University of Connecticut School of Business to “duplicate the real-time information environment of several stock exchanges to help solve complex business problems.” They’ll do this with a brand new network infrastructure that includes Nortel’s WLAN switch and APs along with converged wired networks and communications. — June 8, 2004
Lane Hospitality’s Hilton College Station & Conference Center — less than two miles from Texas A&M University — is using StayOnline service to unwire its 303 guest rooms (including the Presidential Suite) and 26,000 square feet of common areas and convention space. — June 8, 2004
Ruhr Development, which runs 10 hotels like Best Western and Country Inn and Suites in Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin will be using Tantus Networks’ InnFlux wireless service in nine of its locations. — June 7, 2004
