Huntington is participating in a pilot program that will give the city free WiFi access for one year.
West Virginia Network for Educational Telecomputing director Dan O’Hanlon says the goal is to determine the viability of using unused broadcasting frequencies to provide Internet access to a larger community.
O’Hanlon tells The Herald-Dispatch that the technology has been used to provide Internet access at West Virginia University. The Huntington pilot will determine whether it can be done on a larger scale.
Coverage will be limited to the downtown but it could be expanded.
Mayor Steve Williams says city officials will discuss how to pay for the service after the pilot program ends.