Staff Writer

A “cable-cutting” ceremony Thursday afternoon will formally launch the free Wi-Fi system in downtown Union.

The ceremony will be held at 5 p.m. in front of the City of Union Municipal Building. The system began operating approximately two weeks ago and Thursday will be the formal kickoff of “WildFire-Union.” Representatives from Charlotte-based Wildfire Connections will be at the event to answer any questions people may have about using the system.

WildFire-Union will provide free, high-speed wireless Internet service to the downtown area from Wallace Thomson Hospital to USC-Union and one to two blocks on either side of Main Street. Users of the service will be able to access the Internet from anywhere wireless signal coverage is available from their laptop, iPhone, or any other wireless Internet access device. All users will access the service through the WildFire-Union "Welcome Page.” This log-in page is where the on-line business ads sold to local businesses and the local on-line Business Directory will appear.

Unlike other cities' Wi-Fi systems, WildFire-Union will be free to the public because it will be financially supported through the sale of on-line advertising to local businesses or regional companies interested in doing business in Union. WildFire-Union will be financed, owned and operated by TEI Ventures, WildFire Connections' parent company.

WildFire-Union is sponsored by the city through its membership in the Piedmont Municipal Power Agency. The city has worked with WildFire Connections over the past four months to install a free Wi-Fi system in the downtown area.

Mayor Bruce Morgan said the city had been trying to find a way to provide the service when it heard about WildFire Connections. He said the city approached the company about setting up such a system in Union and they agreed. While the primary purpose will be to provide free, wireless to residents and businesses, it will also serve visitors to the community. Morgan said.

“We also see this as an opportunity to serve people who visit Union, especially in the business community,” he said. “It's a way of using technology to encourage and develop business. In the future we hope to expand this to include the entire city as well as our recreational facilities and parks.

“For example, with the new Timken Sports Complex we will have many visitors coming here to spend to whole weekend for tournaments,” he said. “They will have access to the Internet so they can conduct business while they're here.”

WildFire-Union will also assist the Union Public Safety Department in fighting crime by providing wireless surveillance of the downtown area.

Plans are to expand the Wi-Fi system to other areas of the city over the next two years. The pace of the expansion process will depend upon Wild-Fire Union's advertising sales and securing additional sponsors.

"WildFire Connections and our local partner in WildFire-Union are very excited to be launching our "Free Wi-Fi" service in the City of Union on Nov. 29," Billy Dunlap, vice president of business development for WildFire Connections, said. "We thank the City of Union for their support of this progressive technology project that will benefit the community in so many ways. We now look forward to expanding our ‘Free Wi-Fi' services to other areas of the city as soon as possible."