[CUWiN] [CUWiN Press Release] : "City of Urbana Votes to Connect Downtown to CUWiN Network"

[Sascha Meinrath]

CITY OF URBANA VOTES TO EXTEND COMMUNITY WIRELESS NETWORK

City Will Fund Infrastructure, Connectivity at Several Downtown Areas

Urbana, IL, June 22, 2004 - After two years of extensive planning and
debate, the City of Urbana voted yesterday to fund the acquisition of
wireless equipment necessary to connect half-a-dozen sites in the downtown
area to the Champaign-Urbana Community Wireless Network (CUWiN).  The
proposal will fund wireless connectivity in several indoor and outdoor
areas along with the nodes needed to connect these areas to the CUWiN
infrastructure.

The proposal to fund the proof-of-concept project with $18,600 from the
city's 2004-2005 fiscal budget was put forth by councilmember Danielle
Chynoweth.

The City of Urbana's vote to approve this measure follows a larger trend
in Urbana that demonstrates the outstanding community support from
businesses and organizations alike for CUWiN.  OJC Technologies, the Acorn
Active Media Foundation, the Urbana Free Library, the Urbana Business
Association, and the University of Illinois have all lent their support
for the CUWiN community networking initiative.

About CUWiN

The Champaign-Urbana Community Wireless Network (CUWiN) has built a
communications network using wireless networking equipment.  This is
essentially the same "WiFi" equipment used in homes and offices, but CUWiN
puts it on rooftops to connect neighbors and form a high-speed community
network.

CUWiN's three-part mission is to:

  -- connect more people to Internet and broadband services;

  -- develop open-source hardware and software for use by wireless
     projects world-wide; and

  -- build and support community-owned, not-for-profit broadband
     networks in cities and towns around the globe.

CUWiN is a program of the Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center.  OJC
Technologies is CUWiN's development home.

For additional information, contact:

Sascha Meinrath
Project Coordinator
Champaign-Urbana Community Wireless Network
(217)278-3933
sascha at cuwireless.net
http://www.cuwireless.net/
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