By Bradford Pearson
Gazette Staff Writer
Thursday, July 24, 2008

With the launch of free wireless Internet service last week in two busy areas of downtown Bethesda, workers and residents might find that they won't need to leave their buildings for a breath of fresh air anymore, because they might already be working outside.

The Bethesda WiFi system, funded by Montgomery County, is available in Woodmont Triangle's Veterans Park and in the area bounded by Elm Street, Arlington Road and Woodmont and Bethesda avenues.

The plan is to monitor its use and the range of service, with the goal of expanding the wireless access areas, said David Dabney, executive director of the nonprofit Bethesda Urban Partnership, which maintains and promotes the downtown area.

"I think it's just another wonderful amenity for downtown Bethesda," Dabney said. "To be able to go out into the chairs and be able to open your laptop and be on the Internet, that's really nice."

Free wireless Internet access in downtown Bethesda has been in the works for years, said John Castner, manager of network solutions and services for Montgomery County's Department of Technology Services.

After the county installed the service in downtown Silver Spring three years ago, the department turned its efforts to Bethesda. Installing and running the network in Bethesda proved more complicated than it was in Silver Spring, Castner said.

"Bethesda was difficult. There are more trees and buildings," Castner said. "Silver Spring is more open."

The difficulty was reflected in the price tag: Silver Spring's system cost the county $30,000 to install. Bethesda's cost $60,000.

Castner said that transmitters are located throughout the service areas and that maintaining the system will cost about $4,000 a year. Internet access is provided without charge to the county by Atlantech Online, a Silver Spring company.

The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. No password is needed.

When a user logs on to Bethesda WiFi, a browser screen will open with additional information about the service as well as links to restaurants and shops in Bethesda.

Now that the service is up and running, the Bethesda Urban Partnership is promoting it through fliers and advertising downtown, said Stephanie Coppula, the group's director of marketing and communications.

Kenneth Hartman, executive director of county government's Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Services Center, said the service is invaluable to all who visit the area.

"Business people who want to stretch their legs but still keep in touch with clients while they're outside, people in parks, everyone" will use the system, Hartman said. "It's part economic development, but also part promotion, promoting that we are a wireless community."

The service is part of a county strategy championed by County Executive Isiah Leggett (D), Hartman said, to offer wireless Internet throughout the region, including in every downtown district and county library.

Castner said the county's Technology Services Department will soon begin creating systems for other communities. Downtown Wheaton is next, followed by Germantown, he said.