The Unwired Village

Recipient:
Cape Cod Technology Council

Amount:
$136,574, awarded in September 2005

In Collaboration With:
Orleans Chamber of Commerce, Cape Cod Community College, Cape Cod Five Cents Savings Bank, BankNorth, and Cape.com

Cluster/Region:
Communications/Cape Cod and the Islands

Overview:
This investment provided the capital needed to conduct a proof of concept and business model for a community-based wireless Internet access throughout the entire downtown area of Orleans on Cape Cod. The pilot project, known as “The Unwired Village,” is a partnership between the local Orleans Chamber of Commerce and the Cape Cod Technology Council. The aim is to create a sustainable structure that can be “franchised” and deployed across the region. Local ‘hot spots’ could then be interconnected to create a region-wide grid.

Outcomes:
A wireless network is up and running in Orleans, providing free Internet access throughout the downtown area. Since its launch in August 2006, the wireless network has activated more than 1,500 registered users. Data about these users demonstrates that this WiFi portal is being used by local citizens, visitors, and, most importantly, residents on the Cape for business reasons. The business model is based upon local businesses using this WiFi gateway as a portal for advertising. The ultimate goal is to prove to visitors that the Cape is “connected” and a good spot to start or relocated a technology-based business. As part of the effort, the project has developed a “Village Kit,” a how-to cookbook describing the workings of its business model to enable other municipalities to adopt a similar strategy. In addition, two nearby communities on the Cape have begun work on developing their own open-access wireless network. The pioneering work has been a progenitor of the development of a regional initiative, OpenCape, to create a regional, non-profit, carrier-neutral infrastructure for broadband service.

Website: http://unwiredvillage.com/pages/?q=