Prince William business leaders are looking to establish a county-wide wireless broadband Internet service to provide the community new choices and spur growth opportunities.
“We need more options. We need more choices and this is like a connective tissue … a mesh network, that would layer across the county providing this ubiquitous coverage,” said Bryanna Altman, with the firm Computer Doctor.
Altman’s company is working with others in the county to establish a group to solicit a needs assessment and construction plan from wireless service providers. Computer Doctor, a company of technology engineers who work largely in the field, could use such a network to connect seamlessly from any location.
The proposed wireless service, also known as Wi-Max, would be one way to bring broadband to the entire county, parts of which are now only served by dial-up.
“We are hearing concerns. We are hearing from our members they want the most Internet connectivity that they can have,” said Laurie Wieder, president of the Prince William Regional Chamber of Commerce.
Companies and residents would subscribe to the service which should help improve quality of service, performance speeds and the lower Internet costs, Altman said. The service would make the county more attractive to incoming businesses and promote telecommuting, she said.
The Town of Occoquan is looking into the service to help attract tourists and provide low-cost benefits to citizens, said Council member Barry Dean.
“It is an up-and-coming capability. We’ll see in a few more years if you don’thave it, you will be considered behind the power curve,” Dean said.
“I would like to have the county become aggressive in pursuing installation of Wi-Max in the county, potentially using county towers,” said Sean Connaughton, Prince William County Board of Supervisors chair. The county has a wireless network for government purposes.
“In our county, we have the business leadership to where we can bring this to fruition without having to involve the General Assembly,” said Altman.
If the county was the lead agency, it would need approval from the state legislature under the Dillon Rule. A business consortium, however, could launch the service by next summer.
