Austin to field test public wi-fi

by Sea Stachura, Minnesota Public Radio

St. Paul, Minn. — The City of Austin will have municipal wireless internet by October.

Austin's pilot project will cover a one-mile quadrant of downtown. It will span from Oakland Avenue to Fourth Street Northwest.

The $1.2 million project is being run through the Austin Utilities Board and has been in the works for several years.

It required a change to the city's charter to move forward. Eventually most of the city will be served with a total of 425 access points.

Fees for the service are yet to be determined.