Free Wireless Comes to a Small Section of Bloomingdale

• October 28, 2010
• 1 Comment

by Mark Wellborn

In early September, TBD’s Sommer Mathis reported that the DC neighborhood of Bloomingdale was in the process of setting up a network that would offer free WiFi to all its residents. The project is the brainchild of community leaders and DC’s Office of the Chief Technology Officer (OCTO).

Wireless network currently centered around 1st and R Street NW

It appears that a small portion of the neighborhood can now take advantage of the free wireless. Mathis reported recently that the network is now up and running within a 100 square-foot radius of 1st and R Street NW. The expansion of the network to the rest of the neighborhood will be somewhat contingent on how the service works in this small area.

The network’s coverage and speed are question marks as well. In our (limited) experience with free outdoor WiFi, the speed always feels like a throw-back to dial-up. With a whole neighborhood using one network, we imagine that speed could be an issue.

If anyone has used the network and can speak to how well it works, let us know in the comments section.

This article originally published at http://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/free_wireless_comes_to_a_small_section_of_bloomingdale/2620

1 Comment

1. LivingLess said at 9:58 pm on Thursday October 28, 2010:
   I didn't even know about it, but am going to head over to Big Bear and try it out!