PORTSMOUTH, NH -- 09/24/07 --
Port City Web, LLC (
www.PortCityWeb.com), an
award-winning, full-service website and eCommerce design, development,
hosting and online marketing company, today announced that the free wi-fi
in downtown Portsmouth, NH, is expanding.
During a ceremonial event last Thursday, September 20th, the New Hampshire
Division of Economic Development presented a check in the amount of $10,000
to The Greater Portsmouth Chamber of Commerce to be used for expanding the
wi-fi coverage in Portsmouth. Port City Web, as well as the other
companies involved with the wi-fi project, will receive a portion of the
grant to offset the costs associated with the services the company has
donated and will continue to donate.
In April of 2003, Port City Web President and CEO, Erik Crago, was
brainstorming with fellow eCoast Board member Scott Campbell about things
the eCoast Board could do to positively impact the community. Crago and
Campbell decided that offering free wireless Internet access, also known as
wi-fi, would be a tremendous boost to Portsmouth and highlight the
entrepreneurial spirit of the eCoast. In June of 2003, the first free
wi-fi hotspot was launched in downtown Portsmouth, NH. BayRing
Communications provided the Internet access; The Greater Portsmouth Chamber
of Commerce allowed the wi-fi equipment to be placed in their information
kiosk; Campbell's company, Buzz on a Budget, provided the PR; and Crago's
company, Port City Web, provided the wi-fi access point, as well as the
websites www.ecoastwifi.org and www.portsmouthwifi.org.
"When we came up with the idea to offer free wi-fi, I wanted to make sure
that all services would be donated by local companies, and that the wi-fi
would add value to the City of Portsmouth. In order to measure the value
of the free wi-fi, we implemented a survey to ask people why they were
using it and for what reasons. I also saw offering free wi-fi as a great
way to show people that Portsmouth is business friendly, and reach out to
tourists who wanted to get online to check email. Based on our usage
statistics and the feedback, as well as this funding for growth, we
accomplished much more than we set out to do 4 years ago," added Crago.
As the wi-fi project grows to the next level, there are new companies
involved with the expanded development. Those companies include BayRing
Communications, Single Digits, Port City Web, Buzz on a Budget, Summit
Technologies, Cisco Systems and the University of New Hampshire
Interoperability Lab, as well as the City of Portsmouth and The Greater
Portsmouth Chamber of Commerce.
About Port City Web, LLC
Port City Web is an award-winning, full service eMarketing and eCommerce
website development company, that designs, develops and hosts business web
sites, and delivers innovative, cost effective electronic marketing tools
that are built to work with current systems. Past and present clients
include The University of New Hampshire, Born & Bicknell, Columbia
University, Service Credit Union, NAPS, K2 and Lonza Biologics.
Contact:
Erik Crago
Port City Web, LLC
Email Contact
www.portcityweb.com
1-800-291-7147
