MACON, Ga. — Starting Monday you can ditch your spotty connection and link up to free WiFi in downtown Macon. It's all thanks to nearly $40,000 from a Downtown Challenge Grant.
You can post on Instagram, send a tweet, or even check your email. County leaders hope this public-private partnership connects people who live in downtown Macon and visitors to everything happening online.
"Yeah shoot, I wouldn't mind finding new music, and stuff with all that," Kahlil Lundy said.
Lundy is already making plans to use Macon's free WiFi.
"That is the thing to do, just get on your phone, you got to have the YouTube, or Facebook, and the WiFi," Lundy said.
The free WiFi was paid for using $39,848 from a Downtown Challenge Grant from the Community Foundation of Central Georgia.
"WiFi Macon is an exciting, collaborative, community project," Kevin Floyd with Middle Georgia State University said.
He says their school of computing partnered with Macon-Bibb County and Cox Business.
"The speed is pretty good, it is about 100 megabits per second at each of the access points. That is certainly fast internet, but it really depends on the number of users currently connected," Floyd said.
That's fast enough to live stream your favorite song or television show. The WiFi zone runs along Poplar Street between Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard and Rosa Parks Square -- about three blocks.
"You can simply connect to WiFi Macon, you'll then be prompted to accept the terms of agreement from the WiFi Macon page, from there you can connect," Floyd said.
He says WiFi along Poplar Street keeps Macon on track to compete with other major cities.
"I think this is a tremendous asset to Macon, it is one of the foundations for becoming a smart city," Floyd said.
While Macon gets up to speed, Lundy hopes the WiFi connects everyone.
"That will probably be good, college and students, a lot of people work in this area, they like to get on their phone and set up different stuff, and have everything go out for them," Lundy said.
MGSU says they plan on collecting usage data for their students to study. Floyd says they hope this will show the need to expand WiFi to other parts of downtown Macon in the future.
County and public leaders are gathering Monday for a special ceremony at 10 a.m. to officially launch the service.
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