Hollywood Beach Goes Hi-Tech With Wi-Fi

Hollywood, Florida — April 28, 2005 —The Hollywood Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) Beach District is offering free wireless Internet access from just about anywhere in the district, even on the city’s award-winning sandy beaches.

The CRA Board approved the implementation of “wi-fi,” or wireless fidelity, at a special meeting of the CRA on April 6. "With the installation of modern infrastructure, this unique wireless service will bring the Beach District into the 21st Century, enhance ongoing economic development and redevelopment efforts, and provide a competitive edge for hotel/motel operators, restaurants and other area businesses," said Richard Lemack, Assistant City Manager, City of Hollywood.

In addition to the convenience of “staying connected” that local residents and visitors will experience, business and leisure travelers will find the service to be an invaluable source of information on everything Hollywood Beach has to offer.

The free, limited-range local wireless network was implemented in Downtown Hollywood in October 2004. The resolution passed on April 6 amended the two-year contract between Hollywood's Downtown CRA and telecommunications company JBE Technology, Inc. to include the Beach District.

The service, which was operational in the Beach District by April 28, 2005, is available to users of wireless laptops, personal digital assistants (PDAs) and cell phones with Internet capability. To gain access to the World Wide Web, as well as more specific information about Hollywood Beach businesses and happenings, wireless users need only sign in. Users can sign up for their own free e-mail address and will be able to log on to the network home page in just a few seconds.

The Beach CRA’s marketing efforts will benefit from the ability to track useful data from visitors as well as local residents who use the wireless service. The network system will include live cameras to give users a unique look at what’s happening on Hollywood Beach.

For additional information on Hollywood Beach’s wireless Internet service, call the Beach CRA at (954) 924-2980.