Downtown online: Ben Lomand offers free WiFi access

Just when you thought downtown McMinnville couldn?t get any better, Main Street McMinnville has teamed with Ben Lomand Communications to announce Downtown WiFi, a wireless Internet zone operating 24-7 in downtown McMinnville. The service is currently being offered for free.

Downtown WiFi is part of Ben Lomand?s new FirewireNet service. The WiFi zone covers downtown McMinnville from Court Square to various points along West Main, East Main, Morford and Depot streets. The Warren County Courthouse is fully WiFi accessible, as are the Chamber of Commerce building and many others facing Court Square and Main Street.

City officials are touting Downtown WiFi as a versatile new addition to McMinnville?s revamped Main Street. Businesses can benefit from the freedom of a wireless layout and the convenience of maintaining a link to the office while taking clients out to lunch. Attorneys can effectively use WiFi to connect with their offices, or conduct research during a trial. Visitors eating or shopping downtown can enjoy the convenience of checking e-mail and surfing the Internet.

?Downtown McMinnville is becoming a destination not only for visitors and customers, but for business professionals,? said Main Street McMinnville director Chris Wilson, ?Downtown WiFi makes the area even more inviting.?

Added Ben Lomand CEO Levoy Knowles, ?Last year was the first time laptop computers outsold desktops. It?s clear people value the mobility of wireless technology, and we?re pleased to be able to provide this service to the community.?

Future plans call for the expansion of the network to all of downtown McMinnville, and eventually into other areas of the city. Monthly subscriptions will be made available, as well as daily and hourly rates. Businesses and residents in the McMinnville area who are interested should call Ben Lomand at 507-0581.

Inspiration for the idea began in December, 2004. At that time, Main Street McMinnville and Ben Lomand began a cooperative effort to launch wireless Internet (WiFi) in downtown McMinnville as an economic development tool. The WiFi network became fully operational this month.