WIRELESS HEADLINES

WP Marks First Anniversary

(Left to right) Melonease Shaw, CEO, TWC; Toni Crawford-Major, Regional Director, DCED; Tom Cooper, GM for Philadelphia, EarthLink; Agnes Ogletree, COO, Wireless Philadelphia

Wireless Philadelphia recently celebrated its first year of operations, including our first Digital Inclusion signups, with 80 supporters, partners and friends. WP thanks the proprietors of 707 Restaurant and Bar for graciously providing their swanky new space. It was a great opportunity to commemorate the many milestones WP has achieved this year, and to build momentum for the work we have ahead.

First Digital Inclusion Customers Signed Up

(Left to right) Digital Inclusion customers Vanessa Brown and Kay Miller with WP Director of Community Relations Dionne Ellison

WP is excited to announce the sign-up of our first Digital Inclusion customers! On June 11, 2007 five clients of IMPACT Services Corporation earned wireless internet bundles, each including a refurbished laptop computer, one year of EarthLink WiFi service, tech support, and computer and internet training:

• Vanessa Brown
• Kay Miller
• Ruth Martinez
• Nyeisha Stark
• Tina D'Arcangelo

Dan Geringer of the Philadelphia Daily News quoted WP's CEO Greg Goldman in his article about the event: "'Access to information is access to opportunity,' [said Goldman] while Chief Operations Officer Agnes Ogletree's eyes welled up at finally seeing three years of plans realized."

IMPACT Services is one of several welfare-to-work EARN (Employment Advancement Retention Network) Centers that have purchased wireless bundles to distribute to clients who have achieved certain benchmarks, including job retention and attendance at work, among others. In addition to partnerships with EARN centers throughout the city, WP is currently working to form "Wireless Internet Partnerships" (WIPs) with many other community-based organizations. WIPs will host sign-ups and orientation sessions for individuals who qualify for Digital Inclusion. To date, Wireless Philadelphia has signed up nearly 200 Digital Inclusion customers with many more to come.

Be a "Know It All!"

The School District of Philadelphia, Intel, EarthLink and Brown Partners have launched an awareness campaign called "Know It All" for parents of students who attend selected schools in the central region. Parent Volunteers will be giving out "Know It All" kits to parents and directing them to the sign-up location at the Parent Leadership Academy (PLA), located at 3701 N. 19th Street. Individuals who qualify through the Universal School Free Lunch Program, their income level and/or participation in other supportive programs, will have the opportunity to sign-up for high-speed Internet service at the discounted rate of $9.95/month, receive reduced pricing on computers, and take advantage of training provided by the PLA.

Qualifying customers should bring a government issued ID, a current paystub or W-2 (if qualifying through income level), and a Medicaid card, an ACCESS card, or an SSI card (if qualifying through participation in one of the supportive programs) to one of our scheduled sign-up dates: July 12 and July 26 from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. and 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.

A Digital Difference: Cecil B. Moore Award

On May 19 Wireless Philadelphia received the 2007 Cecil B. Moore Award for Selfless Service to the Philadelphia Community from the Barristers' Association of Philadelphia. The Award was presented to WP's CEO Greg Goldman and COO Agnes Ogletree at the Barristers' Annual Awards and Scholarship Gala, held at the Park Hyatt at the Bellevue.

According to Goldman, "The struggle for equal opportunity now extends into the Internet age…Wireless Philadelphia is both proud and humbled to carry the mantle of Cecil B. Moore as Philadelphia leads the national movement for Digital Inclusion and as we work together toward our shared vision of The Entire City - Connected.”

Proof of Concept Area Testing Approved:
Citywide Buildout Underway!

On Thursday, May 24, 2007 Mayor Street announced that Wireless Philadelphia had formally accepted the “Proof of Concept” test area for the EarthLink/Wireless Philadelphia Municipal Wireless Broadband Internet Network. In addition to extensive print and television coverage locally – especially from 6 ABC, our official media partner - the announcement received international attention as Philadelphia continues to be viewed as the crucible for the worldwide municipal wireless movement. Jon Hurdle’s article for Reuters, for instance, was picked up in the UK, Croatia, India, Canada, and Australia.

Digital Difference Award to Mayor
At the event, several local families presented Mayor Street with the First Annual Wireless Philadelphia Digital Difference Award for his vision in ensuring a future where all Philadelphians will have access to the Internet. “The next mayor will be limited only by his imagination in putting WiFi to good civic uses - thanks, of course, to Street's imaginative wireless concept,” read the Philadelphia Inquirer editorial after POC acceptance.

Citywide Buildout Underway!
Acceptance of the Proof of Concept was the gateway to citywide buildout, which is now underway. By the end of this year, Philadelphia will be the nation’s first completely wireless major city. Visit the coverage map to see if service is available in your area. The network will include a total of roughly 10 square miles of free high-speed Internet access, distributed in large and small parks and public spaces throughout the city, including:

• Martin Luther King Park at 21st and Cecil B. Moore
• Capitolo Playground in South Philly
• Vernon Park in Germantown
• West Fairmount Park
• Hunting Park
• FDR Park
• Penn's Landing
• Love Park
• Historic Square Mile
• ...and many others

Former Eagle Appointed to WP’s Board of Directors

This month Wireless Philadelphia welcomed former Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Fred Barnett to our Board of Directors. Fred is deeply committed to our mission of Digital Inclusion, and brings to the table a wealth of experience in philanthropy.

Fred is involved in Champions of Caring, in which professionals mentor youth and serve as role models for them. He also helps the Eagles in their fight against breast cancer.

Barnett handles PR and fundraising for the Institute for the Development of African-American Youth. The mission of IDAAY is to provide educational and cultural programs as well as prevention-intervention social services for youth, their families, and the broader community via a combination of carefully designed programs.

Temperature Rises, Prices Drop

As EarthLink's new advertising campaign – complete with WP’s logo and our "Making a Digital Difference" tagline - launches this summer, you will see that EarthLink is running an aggressive pricing promotion for WiFi service. Retail customers can sign up for $6.95/month for the first six months with a one-year commitment. EarthLink is offering Digital Inclusion customers who sign up during the promotional period the same rate for three months.

Questions? Visit our website at www.wirelessphiladelphia.org for updates or send us an e-mail at info@wirelessphiladelphia.org.

Digital Inclusion Signup Dates

Thursday - July 12, 2007
9:00am - 11:00am and 5:00pm - 7:00pm
Grover Cleveland Elementary School
(click here for a map and directions)

Thursday - July 26, 2007
9:00am - 11:00am and 5:00pm - 7:00pm
Grover Cleveland Elementary School
(click here for a map and directions)

Free WiFi Access!

Come to Penn's Landing during the summer and enjoy Free WiFi courtesy of EarthLink and Wireless Philadelphia.

Visit the Penn's Landing website for a calendar of this summer's events.

Other Events

Stay tuned for future WiFi events happening near you!