DC-Net, in coordination with the Washington Convention and Sports Authority and the District’s Office of the Chief Technology Officer (OCTO), is offering free wireless Internet access to visitors and residents during Microsoft’s Worldwide Partner Conference July 11-15, 2010. The international conference, which will draw nearly 10,000 delegates, takes place at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Verizon Center, the Renaissance Washington, DC Downtown Hotel, the Grand Hyatt Washington, and the Washington Marriott at Metro Center.

In addition to new hotspots at the conference venues, visitors and residents in the area will be able to use outdoor wireless Internet access via the District’s public Wi-Fi network, DC Free Wi-Fi. The hotspots support 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi standards and access speeds up to 20 Mbps. People with laptops, smart phones and other wireless-enabled mobile devices will be able to surf the Web, conduct business, check e-mail and access online applications throughout the hotspot area.

The hotspots will be operational several days before the Microsoft conference and will remain in place after the conference ends for the long-term benefit of all residents, businesses and visitors—helping to spur the District’s economy in one of the city’s busiest destination neighborhoods. In addition to the DC Free Wi-Fi service enhancement, OCTO has also created a permanent, 1-Gbps high-speed data network connecting each of the event venues in order to link downtown’s largest hospitality venues for the first time.

“We are excited to offer our guests and the community this free wireless service as an added amenity that will enhance their experience at the Convention Center and surrounding neighborhoods,” said Gregory A. O’Dell, president and CEO of the Washington Convention and Sports Authority. “This world-class network will enable the Authority to host large-scale events that exceed the building's size, bringing more business into the District as well as positioning the city to be a premier destination for technical meetings and conventions.”

The hotspots are powered by the District’s high-speed fiber-optic network, DC-Net, built and operated by OCTO. DC-Net’s high-speed connectivity significantly expands the Convention Center’s ability to support large-scale national and international conferences like Microsoft’s Worldwide Partner Conference.

“With our new wireless hotspots around the Convention Center, our immediate aim is to ensure that visitors have the tools they need to participate fully in this landmark conference—and fully enjoy our vibrant city,” said District of Columbia Chief Technology Officer Bryan Sivak. “Just as important is our long-term goal—to continue expanding our DC Free Wi-Fi network to ensure that residents, businesses, and visitors citywide can fully connect to the digital world.”
“I am delighted that DC.Net and the Walter E. Washington Convention Center are partnering to bring our attendees free wireless access during the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference 2010,” said Pam Salzer, senior marketing director of Microsoft Corp. “Our 10,000 attendees are amongst the most connected professionals in the world, so constant Internet access is of utmost importance.”

To help users find the hotspots, OCTO has created a simple mapping application that displays all the DC Free Wi-Fi hotspots and information about each site. Users can visit http://wifi.dc.gov, click on any of the hotspot icons on the map, and see the name and address of the site, along with a close-up map of its surrounding area and a link to directions to and from a starting point or destination.

For more information about the Washington Convention and Sports Authority (WCSA) visit www.wcsa.com.