Fayetteville considers free wireless for downtown

FAYETTEVILLE — Fayetteville officials are considering how to turn the city’s downtown into a hotspot with free wireless Internet service.

The Fayetteville Observer reported Wednesday that the service would make the city more attractive to the soldiers and their families who will move there as part of base realignment by 2011.

The chief of the city’s information technology system is studying the issue. Stanley Victrim says for a community not to have full broadband access now is almost like saying the city doesn’t have paved roads.

The Fayetteville Public Works Commission and elected officials have discussed the issue for the past year but haven’t decided on specifics for cost or design.

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