Wi-Fi Macon to Launch Downtown on November 18

Author: News Bureau
Posted: Thursday, November 14, 2019 12:00 AM
Categories: Faculty/Staff | Events- Public | School of Computing | Pressroom

Macon, GA

Members of the public are invited to join Middle Georgia State University (MGA) in downtown Macon on Monday, November 18, for the launch of Wi-Fi Macon, a free wireless internet service now being offered along Poplar Street.  The event will start at 10 a.m. at the Poplar Street Park between First and Second streets; if it rains, the event will move indoors to the NewTown Macon offices.

Wi-Fi Macon is a project of MGA’s School of Computing, in partnership with Cox Communications and Macon-Bibb County. The wireless internet is free to the public, and is available along Poplar Street between Rosa Taylor Park and Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard. 

The development of Wi-Fi Macon was funded via a $39,848 Downtown Challenge grant from the Community Foundation of Central Georgia.  MGA was awarded the grant in December 2018, and faculty, staff, and students from the University’s School of Computing have worked with city officials, Cox Business and other community partner businesses to bring the project to completion.

 “This is a win-win for Middle Georgia State and the people of Macon-Bibb. Visitors to downtown now have access to fast, free internet service, and our students and faculty have gotten valuable hands-on experience in developing this service for the community,” said Alex Koohang, dean of the School of Computing.

 During the launch event, guests will hear remarks from MGA, Cox, the Community Foundation, and Macon-Bibb County.

“Cox is proud to partner with Middle Georgia State University to bring this great service to Poplar Street,” said Bonnie Lopez-Crowe, market vice president for Cox Middle Georgia. “Public-private partnerships like these demonstrate our commitment to bringing cutting-edge technology to our community in new and innovative ways creating Smart City solutions for Macon-Bibb and its residents.”

How to connect to Wi-Fi Macon:

In your device’s Wi-Fi settings, connect to the “Wi-Fi Macon” network.  Launch your web browser of choice, and you’ll be taken to the Wi-Fi Macon landing page to review and accept the terms and conditions and see the list of partners who made the service possible.

 About Middle Georgia State University

Middle Georgia State University (MGA) serves students on campuses in Macon, Cochran, Dublin, Eastman, and Warner Robins, and online through MGA Direct. Students can choose from dozens of programs - including business, nursing, information technology, new media and communications, and contemporary musicianship - that lead to bachelor’s degrees. MGA also offers professional master’s degrees in cybersecurity, nursing, management, secondary education, and technical and professional writing, with other graduate programs under development. The University is home to Georgia’s only public School of Aviation - based on the Eastman campus - and a four-year degree in flight. mga.edu

 About Cox Communications

Cox Communications is committed to creating meaningful moments of human connection through broadband applications and services. The largest private telecom company in America, we proudly serve six million homes and businesses across 18 states. We're dedicated to empowering others to build a better future and celebrate diverse products, people, suppliers, communities and the characteristics that makes each one unique. Cox Communications is the largest division of Cox Enterprises, a family-owned business founded in 1898 by Governor James M. Cox.

 About Downtown Challenge

Thanks to generous grants from the Peyton Anderson Foundation and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, $3 million has been invested in to the Downtown Challenge Fund of the Community Foundation of Central Georgia. This three-year program funded the best ideas to transform Downtown Macon into a place that can grow with grace, build upon its good bones, dance to its local rhythm, care for its heart, and coordinate and focus for maximum impact.