Falls Church, VA — September 7, 2004: Culver City, California is pleased to announce the launch of free wireless Internet access in all outdoor areas of Downtown Culver City effective Thursday, September 9. This service is the first municipal broadband wireless Wi-Fi "hotspot" on Los Angeles' Westside. It will offer laptop users the ability to log on to the Internet without the use of phone lines or other traditional wires that bind most Internet use to the office or home.
A kick-off party with music and refreshments and demonstrations of Wi-Fi in action are scheduled for Thursday, September 9 beginning at 12:30 in Town Plaza at the intersection of Culver and Washington Boulevards in Downtown Culver City. Technical staff from Wireless Hotspot, Inc. and YDI Wireless, Inc. (NASDAQ: YDIW) (the equipment installer and equipment provider, respectively) will be available to offer free Wi-Fi support and demonstrations through 6:00 P.M. The general public is encouraged to bring laptops and other Wi-Fi enabled devices to this free event.
On an everyday basis, users will be able to handle e-mail correspondence, get the latest weather, stock and sports updates, search the news - everything a person would normally expect from the Internet - but for free, anywhere they choose outdoors in Downtown Culver City.
Downtown's "hotspot" will cover an area of approximately one square mile from Trader Joe's at Culver & Ince to the edge of the Sony Pictures campus at Washington & Hughes five blocks west. The district includes Town Plaza, an outdoor performance and gathering spot, a public park, the Culver Hotel, numerous outdoor cafes and retailers, and a number of offices including Culver Studios and Westwood One.
"This new technology is as revolutionary as when phones were freed from cords and plugs. Now, you can sit on a park bench, in a café, or under a market umbrella and browse or write to your heart's content," states John H. Richo, Culver City's Director of Information Technology, whose department initiated the project.
The project is funded by the City's Redevelopment Agency. Community Development Director Susan Evans states, "As an important hub of the entertainment industry where high numbers of creative personnel are employed, Culver City embraces new technologies that lay the groundwork for new and more flexible ways to work."
"Any wireless-equipped laptop - which includes almost all manufactured from 2002 onwards - can easily access this new, free service," states Joseph Hsieh, founder and president of Wireless Hotspot Inc., the company retained by the City of Culver City to deploy the new technology. "Even without a built-in receiver, it is easy to buy and install a wireless card from any major computer store."
YDI Wireless provided the access points that users will be using to connect to the Internet. Mr. Hsieh of Wireless Hotspot states, "We chose YDI's integrated solution because of several key factors: 1) their all-in-one, integrated solution provided for an unobtrusive, simple installation, 2) their extended range capabilities offered far greater coverage than other vendors, and 3) we wanted to go with a solution that was certified by the Federal Communications Commission for outdoor use."
Ben Ockers, YDI's Regional Vice President - Sales and Account Manager, West, states, "We are very pleased to have been chosen to supply the access points for this exciting opportunity. By taking this step, Culver City is demonstrating its commitment to making Culver City a cutting-edge, convenient place to work, live, and relax. We look forward to supporting Culver City and Wireless Hotspot in this deployment."
The City of Culver City is a charter city incorporated in 1917 with a population of approximately 40,000 within five square miles. Culver City is located eight miles west of Downtown Los Angeles and six miles north of the Los Angeles International Airport. Culver City has five elected City Council members and has been known as the Heart of Screenland due to the City's long-standing historic ties to the motion picture industry. Downtown Culver City is currently home to the Sony Pictures Entertainment World Headquarters and the Culver Studios.
Wireless Hotspot, Inc offers end-to-end wireless Internet and network access solutions for retail, hospitality, government and other agencies. Wireless Hotspot is a privately funded company Los Angeles-based company incubated by the FAME Renaissance Center, a collaborative effort of the Community Development Department of Los Angeles, the Economic Development Administration, Department of Commerce, Wells Fargo Bank, and State Farm Insurance Company. For more information about the company, please visit www.wirelesshotspot.com.
YDI Wireless is a world leader in providing extended range, license-free wireless data equipment and is a leading designer of turnkey long distance wireless systems ranging from 9600 bps to 1.44 Gbps for applications such as wireless Internet, wireless video, wireless LANs, wireless WANs, wireless MANs and wireless virtual private networks. Additional information about YDI Wireless as well as its complete product line can be found at the company's website located at http://www.ydi.com or by contacting the company by telephone at (703) 205-0600 or by email at IR@ydi.com.
Culver City Alicia Weintraub
Carlos Vega |
YDI Wireless David L. Renauld |
Wireless Hotspot Joseph Hsieh |