About

The Project

The Corridor Free Wireless Network, cFree, is a bold community project created to give free access to the internet via wireless technologies to Cedar Rapids, Iowa City and Coralville in a number of key public spaces. cFree is a community driven and community funded not-for-profit venture that is overseen by a non-profit organization which is comprised of constituents of The James Gang, Cedar Rapids Downtown District, City of Coralville and parties directly involved with the creation and oversight of the project. cFree has created free wireless internet hotspots in the following locations.

Hotspot Locations:

• Downtown Cedar Rapids – Riverfront to 5th Street, 1st Ave to 8th Ave. – Completed Sept 2005
• The Pedestrian Mall in Downtown Iowa City – Completed Fall 2005
• Iowa River Landing Coralville – Completed August 2006
• Northridge Park Coralville – Completed June 2005
• Coralville City Center – Completed June 2005
• Urban parks in Cedar Rapids, Coralville and Iowa City – Completed July 2005

Wireless Coverage Area Maps

The Reason

The internet is the world’s largest community. It provides access to information beyond the capacity of any single person. Should access to the internet be a free public resource? Once contained by office buildings, houses and libraries, the internet is no longer tied to a physical building. Wireless internet broadcasting is the modern medium for accessing the World Wide Web. The cFree Wireless Network was inspired by four key principles:

1. Public access to the internet can help individuals pursue their own creative endeavors and personal interests, thus increasing quality of life.
2. Free internet access adds value to public spaces and parks, thus encouraging more community members to utilize these spaces and increase the pedestrian traffic in business districts.
3. The implementation of this wireless project will encourage people to interact in the community, stimulate business, and move Cedar Rapids, Iowa City and Coralville towards the technology of the future. “Interacting neighbors build stronger communities”.
4. Free wireless hotspots add technological “Style” to urban environments. Along the lines of the theories of Richard Florida in his book, The Rise of the Creative Class, cool cities draw people that drive the creative economy.

The Technology

The cFree network utilizes a mesh wireless technology from Strix Systems. This system consists of large broadcasting towers and small decoding stations that distribute the signal to designated areas. We are working with Communications Engineering Companies to install and maintain the wireless infrastructure. Based on this configuration, there should be little maintenance necessary, except in cases where it is expanded to cover larger geographic areas.

The Organization

The cFree wireless network is a private nonprofit endeavor of Cedar Rapids Downtown District and The James Gang, and is funded entirely through business sponsorships, community donations, and community grants. The back-end network maintenance is provided by Light Edge Communications, a local internet service provider. cFree is managed by a non-profit corporation Board of Directors. This group is responsible for upkeep of the network, promotion of its services, fund raising, and community relations.

Current board of directors:

Paul Burns
Josh Capp
Joe Hetrick
Scott Larson
Leigh Lewis
Joe Younker

Former Board Members:

David Chadima
Jamie Licko
Tyler Olson
Andy Stoll
Rob Pilaszewski
Scott Fiddelke
Vanessa Solesbee