Wireless Internet could be coming to Tampa riverfront

There are only a handful of so-called "hot spots" across the city, where people can connect to the Internet through laptops or hand-held devices without cables.

Unlike other cities, Tampa has lagged behind efforts to provide free wireless access.

That might be about to change.

For the past several months, members of the Tampa Downtown Partnership have been quietly negotiating with the local Internet provider Sago Networks to offer free wireless Internet access at several parks and areas along the banks of the Hillsborough River.

"The main focus is Riverwalk," said Karen Kress, director of transportation and planning for the downtown partnership. "We're hoping to have it running by the end of the year."

Details of the agreement are still being worked out, she said, but the plans call for installing several access point boxes, or transmitters, on rooftops from the new Tampa Bay History Center to the soon-to-be-reopened Curtis Hixon Park in downtown.

Tampa officials explored the possibility of providing citywide wireless several years ago, but concluded that it would cost too much and offer little in return for the investment.

"It was too expensive," James D. Buckner, the city's technology director. "You're talking about millions of dollars and we just didn't want to make that kind of investment."

Buckner said the city is still willing to do whatever it can - as long as its doesn't end up costing the taxpayers - to facilitate the expansion of Tampa's wireless capacity.

Wi-Fi is short for wireless fidelity, a wireless technology that lets people connect to the Internet through their laptops or hand-held devices without cables or phone jacks.

Hotels, libraries, offices and coffee shops often offer access to computer users and private sector companies commonly set up hot spots for their employees to use.

Wi-Fi is being installed free of charge in cities across the nation, with mixed results.

Most cities have inked deals with companies to provide free wireless in exchange for access to light poles and the hope of charging residents and businesses usage fees.

Google plans to turn San Francisco into a gigantic hot spot, free of charge, and also has pledged to build a Wi-Fi network for its headquarters in the city of Mountain View, Calif. Philadelphia is building a citywide network with the help of Internet provider EarthLink.

About five years ago, New York City's Parks and Recreation Department began offering free wireless Internet access in about a dozen public parks, including Central Park.

But the service was discontinued this year after the company behind it, Wi-Fi Salon, couldn't raise enough funds to build out the networks and keep them operating.