According to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review article, “Just Call him the Wi-Fi guy” and Pop City article, “Free Wi-Fi on Walnut honors Shadyside Inn owner,” Free Wireless Shadyside (a free Wi-Fi network available along the Walnut Street retail corridor in Pittsburgh, PA) launched at the end of last month. The Shadyside Inn co-owner Jonathan Plesset built and manages the network in honor of his late father, R. Jeffrey Plesset, who passed away in 1999.
Mr. Plesset invested around $10,000 to bring wireless access to Walnut Street. He strategically placed “nodes” (each roughly $50) around the neighborhood to create a Wi-Fi hot spot. If all goes well, he has considered expanding the inexpensive and easily managed network into other neighborhoods like Squirrel Hill.
“Now that I’ve had a taste of it, there’s nothing stopping me. We could make Pittsburgh the Wi-Fi capital of the world. We should make this a priority, we are such a tech city,” Plesset told Pop City writer Deb Smit.
Downtown Pittsburgh also offers free wireless service for up to two hours, courtesy of the nonprofit Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership.
What if we could bring free internet access to the neighborhoods in and around Pittsburgh? We certainly have the college/university students, faculty, resources, and startup companies filling up areas like Shadyside, Squirrel Hill, Oakland, and parts of Downtown to create technologically advanced sectors. Can we expand these resources into surrounding neighborhoods, making technology a priority and something uniquely “Pittsburgh” like the steel industry used to be?
Squirrel Hill network testing begins next week. Expect to see something there and on Ellsworth Ave in the next month
Jon,
I’m really glad you found our blog and left a comment. I applaud your efforts to bring free wireless internet access to Pittsburgh communities.
I also want to direct readers to your website/blog, www.shadysidewifi.com for media articles, a node list of locations along Walnut Street, and a FAQ section explaining the design and implementation of the network.
Providing free internet access to promote local restaurants, retail shopping, and community centers will hopefully encourage more people to come together to share ideas both online and in person. And at the same time, increase patronage and boost the local economy.
Great to hear you are expanding the network as well. I look forward to following your progress and perhaps seeing other communities adopt your approach.
Thank you,
Jackie