“This initiative constitutes a multi-million dollar private investment, and I am committed to make the Milwaukee Wireless Initiative a reality." -Mayor Barrett.

With wireless Internet growing in popularity, Midwest Fiber Network will soon commercially launch the first stage of their city-wide wireless plan.

It will not be accessible to residents on the East Side this year, but the expansion is the first commercial step for the long awaited wireless program.

Milwaukee’s wireless initiative was launched in 2005, but it took a few years to figure out the logistics of the entirely new program and to install wireless fibers around the area.

In a news release from Mayor Tom Barrett at the start of the wireless initiative, he said, "This initiative constitutes a multi-million dollar private investment, and I am committed to make the Milwaukee Wireless Initiative a reality. It will create tremendous growth for a locally owned company and will open the door to new jobs, job training and other social and educational opportunities."

It is currently being tested by approximately 50 people in an area that spans around five square miles including Marquette University. The boundaries are Hwy. 41 to the west, South 10th Street to the east, West Vliet Street to the north and West Canal Street to the south.

The people have been testing the locations of the wireless and looking for problems in accessing the wireless, said Cheri Grainger, vice president of Midwest Fiber Network.

The company still needs to strengthen the signal in certain areas, Grainger said. Then it should be commercially available to residents in that area in the next couple weeks.

Bruce Maas, the UWM chief information officer, has had continual communication with Midwest Fiber Network throughout their venture.

“I certainly have expressed…that this would be a good location,” Maas said about Milwaukee’s East Side.

If the wireless did expand to the East Side, the university would not have the need to buy into the system. Over the past three years, around $100,000 in student education technology fees went to building up the school’s wireless network that now includes the entire 94 acre campus. Prowlnet, the current university system, is a secure network that students need to log into before getting access.

While some large cities around the state are working towards free wireless programs, Milwaukee chooses to instead, work with a business that will charge money for the service. The wireless will, however, provide free access to up to 60 sites designated by the city.

The city has not invested extensive tax payer money into the program, but they have helped out in any way they can, said Phillip Walzak, spokesman for Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett.

“We need a careful approach,” said Walzak.

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