Free wireless access is now available to residents, businesses and visitors at 14 public locations around the community.
The locations include Main Street, the Summerland Arena, the Aquatic and Fitness Centre, Municipal Hall, the Museum and Heritage Society, the Summerland Chamber parking lot and Victoria Road North between Main Street and Jubilee Road.
The free service is also available at several parks and beaches.
“We are thrilled to provide this convenient and affordable service,” said Mayor Janice Perrino. “It will enhance everyday life for residents, boost business opportunities and give visitors another reason to stay longer.”
The service is provided by Shaw Cablesystems Ltd.
Summerland has signed a 10-year agreement for the service and is the first municipality east of Vancouver to have such an agreement in place.
The agreement guarantees free public access for the length of the contract.
The municipality’s cost is for the electricity required. This is estimated at $340 a year.
Downtown wireless access has been in place for Shaw customers. Customers connect to the ShawOpen link and log in using their Shaw account.
The agreement now allows those who are not Shaw customers to access this service through a new ShawGuest network, separate from the ShawOpen network.
To use the ShawGuest network, the user must agree to the terms of use each time a device connects.
“I’m really excited that Summerland has paved the way for public access to Shaw’s wireless Internet service through our innovative agreement,” said Jeremy Denegar, director of corporate services for the municipality. “It’s a win for everyone.”