By next fall, residents of Philadelphia will be able to surf the Web by the banks of the Schuylkill River, says the company that is installing the city's wireless system.
The initiative to transform Philadelphia into a wireless city is now under way. EarthLink Inc., in partnership with the non-profit group Wireless Philadelphia, is currently installing wireless in a 15-square-mile area of North Philadelphia.
EarthLink spokeswoman Deisha Galberth said this space will allow the company to test a wireless network in a limited area.
The test period is expected to end by December, when EarthLink will make any necessary changes and continue installing wireless throughout the rest of the city, she said.
This process is expected to be complete by next fall.
In addition, once the network is entirely installed, free wireless will be available in about 20 locations throughout the city, some of which will be in West Philadelphia, Goldman said.
Wireless Philadelphia representatives say that a fundamental part of the initiative involves reaching out to low-income residents who do not currently have access to the Internet.
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