Babylon Town Supervisor Steve Bellone announces the Town's new WiFi initiative last week.

Babylon goes wireless at Town Facilities

By Carolyn James     When packing up for the beach or park in Babylon this summer, don’t forget the suntan lotion, lunch, a blanket—and your lap top. The Town unveiled its new—and free—wireless internet service which is already up and running on the grounds of Town Hall, and will be available at all Town parks, beaches and other facilities this summer. Service is also expected to be available in the downtown areas of Copiague and Wyandanch.     “It will be free to residents and businesses and anyone who uses our parks and facilities,” said Bellone as he demonstrated the new system at Town Hall on Thursday. “Anyone who comes to our parks and beaches with their laptops and wireless devices can play games or conduct business.”     Bellone said the service is being provided at no cost to local taxpayers. Funding for the installation of the wireless technology is coming from a federal Department of Justice COPS technology grant. What makes Babylon’s program unique, however, is that the town will be the owner and operator of the system.     “Unlike other similar projects undertaken in other cities and municipalities this one is different in that the town has a stake in the game and ownership of the system,” said Henry Quintin, the local distributor for Meraki Corporation, which manufactures the wireless hardware. But much of the work of installing that technology is under the direction of town employees, further reducing the costs.

Read full story in this week's Beacon coming out on Thursday, Jan. 22.