“We are being a good corporate citizen,” Fire2Wire Executive Vice President William Moreno said. The company’s flagship product is providing wireless service in seven counties in the San Joaquin Valley and foothills, including Stanislaus.
Wi-Fi service started about two weeks ago downtown, but Fire2Wire, the Stanislaus Business Alliance and the city will hold a news conference at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Tenth Street Plaza to publicize the service.
“This is very good timing as Tenth Street evolves, to focus on making the Tenth Street Plaza area a safe and exciting hub of activity to draw residents downtown,” city spokeswoman Amy Vickery said in an email. “Fire2Wire is a great partner in this effort and an example of the everyday generosity that is building a better city.”
Some downtown businesses offer free Wi-Fi, but people have to sign on to a different Wi-Fi service as they leave one business for another. Fire2Wire offers seamless service within the coverage area.
Moreno said the service would time out after one hour so people could not spend hours each day using the free Wi-Fi. Moreno said Fire2Wire’s intent is to make coming downtown more inviting for people who want to have a meal, see a movie or shop. He said Fire2Wire can always stop offering Wi-Fi if it creates problems.
Three businesses within the coverage area of the first Wi-Fi location said they thought it could be a boon.
“I believe free Wi-Fi in downtown Modesto is a good thing,” Brenden Theatres Modesto 18 general manager Saul Trujillo said in an email. Oscar Ahumada with Loard’s Ice Cream and T-Cups Cafe owner Thanh Dong said they believe free Wi-Fi could bring more people downtown.
Fire2Wire’s good deed comes as the city’s effort to bring free Wi-Fi downtown appears to have stalled. City officials brought a proposal to the City Council’s Economic Development Committee in October, but council members balked over the cost to the city.
A city report estimated the cost at $100,000 to bring Wi-Fi to Graceada Park and several locations along nearly five blocks of Tenth Street, from the DoubleTree Hotel to the Police Department. The cost included setup and operating the service for three years.
Moreno said his firm is bearing the cost of this project and is doing it for less. He said Fire2Wire’s setup costs for each location are $12,000 to $15,000. He estimated the cost of running the service at $200 to $400 per month per location. He said Fire2Wire intends to provide the service for at least three years.
©2015 The Modesto Bee (Modesto, Calif.). Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
