Free Wi-Fi was expected to come to downtown Weston around the end of June.
The Weston Board of Aldermen voted unanimously at its June 9 meeting to move forward with implementing complimentary Wi-Fi throughout the downtown area.
The city is partnering with fiber-optic provider United Fiber on the company’s first project of its kind. Antennas will be installed on the roofs of Weston City Hall, the Weston Chamber of Commerce and O’Malley’s Pub to provide free Wi-Fi access to residents and visitors.
“We’ve always been interested in having Wi-Fi,” Weston Mayor Kim Kirby said. “Because we have so many tourists that are in town that could possibly utilize Wi-Fi for their phones or need better service in downtown.”
Due to the city’s location between two bluffs, cellphone reception has long been unreliable in downtown Weston. Kirby said he hopes the new service will help resolve that issue.
The project will come at no cost to the city. United Fiber, based in Savannah, Mo. has provided similar services elsewhere, but never before free of charge across an entire downtown district.
Some concerns were raised about the possibility of inappropriate material being accessed on the public network. Taylor Malotte, sales project coordinator with United Fiber, expressed confidence in the system and confirmed Weston will be able to apply filters to restrict improper use.
Additional login credentials and a compliance form may be required to prevent misuse. Users will not need to be United Fiber customers to access the network.