NPE Corner
McCormick Place goes Wi-FiYou’re awaiting a key client’s e-mail regarding a lunch meeting at the show. You’re hoping to find the best place for sushi near your hotel. You need to check the status of your flight.
In the past, attempting to accomplish any of these everyday tasks would have sent an NPE attendee scrambling back to his or her hotel in search of a landline or queuing up at a McCormick Place business center. But now, with the proliferation of Wi-Fi (wireless fidelity) hotspots, properly equipped PDAs, mobile phones, or laptops can go online at a variety of locations throughout McCormick Place, its adjoining hotel, and a number of parks, libraries, restaurants, and Chicago-area businesses.
Chicago, which announced its intention earlier this year to establish Wi-Fi access throughout the city by 2007, making it a 200-mi² hotspot available for a monthly subscription fee, already claimed the third-most hotspots of any major U.S. city, according to the Chicago Tribune. Wi-Fi research firm Jiwire reports that as of Feb. 23, 271 Chicago restaurants and cafes offered hotspots. That’s in addition to city-administered Wi-Fi access points at Chicago’s 79 public libraries, and locations in the downtown Loop, including the Cultural Center, Daley Plaza, and Millennium Park. Chicago has begun to take bids on the $18 million project, which will be publicly owned but privately operated. The city plans to garner only a small portion of the proceeds, with rest of the revenue claimed by the private contractor, allowing what it hopes will be lower monthly subscription costs that could range from $10 to $20. Public hearings by the Wireless Task Force, which is headed by Alderman Edward Burke, will start this summer, with the first on July 21.
In addition to a number of smaller locales, larger U.S. cities like Minneapolis, Philadelphia, and San Francisco have announced citywide Wi-Fi plans. The most ambitious project globally is underway in Taipei, Taiwan, with 3300 access points for its 2.6 million residents currently operational, covering half of the city’s 106 mi².
Logging on at the show
NPE attendees have a number of Wi-Fi options, according to Mary Kay Marquisos, director of public relations for the Chicago Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority. McCormick Place hotspots include The Plate Room Food Court and Starbucks on level 2.5; McDonald’s and Starbucks in level 2 of the North Building; and the fourth- and fifth-floor commons areas in the South building. Marquisos says the hotspots do not extend into any of the show halls.
In addition, the Networks restaurant and bar in the attached Hyatt Regency McCormick Place hotel has Wi-Fi access, although the rooms do not. McCormick charges $9.95/day for the service, payable by credit card. Marquisos says the network can accommodate more than 3000 users concurrently. In addition to Wi-Fi, McCormick Place provides Internet2, which is a permanent high-speed connection, for data sharing, grid computing, and resolution imaging. Saying it’s seen increased demand for high-speed Internet and private, secured networks, the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority has created a 500-mile fiberoptic network at McCormick that allows exhibitors to create their own network at the show. In addition, McCormick offers equipment rental and consulting services.
Flying the Wi-Fi skies
In late 2004, the Chicago Concourse Development Group began work on offering Wi-Fi access at the city’s two main airports, O’Hare and Midway, through a neutral host so that travelers could get access regardless of their own carrier. Operational in 2005, the service expanded Wi-Fi beyond the VIP airline lounges where it was previously offered.
Now in addition to the Hilton and bus station at O’Hare, travelers can log on in Terminal One on concourses B and C; Terminal Two in the main area, and on concourses E and F; and in Terminal Three on concourses H and K. Midway offers access at all three terminals, A, B, and C, as well as in its food court.--TD; tdeligio@modplas.com
In the past, attempting to accomplish any of these everyday tasks would have sent an NPE attendee scrambling back to his or her hotel in search of a landline or queuing up at a McCormick Place business center. But now, with the proliferation of Wi-Fi (wireless fidelity) hotspots, properly equipped PDAs, mobile phones, or laptops can go online at a variety of locations throughout McCormick Place, its adjoining hotel, and a number of parks, libraries, restaurants, and Chicago-area businesses.
Chicago, which announced its intention earlier this year to establish Wi-Fi access throughout the city by 2007, making it a 200-mi² hotspot available for a monthly subscription fee, already claimed the third-most hotspots of any major U.S. city, according to the Chicago Tribune. Wi-Fi research firm Jiwire reports that as of Feb. 23, 271 Chicago restaurants and cafes offered hotspots. That’s in addition to city-administered Wi-Fi access points at Chicago’s 79 public libraries, and locations in the downtown Loop, including the Cultural Center, Daley Plaza, and Millennium Park. Chicago has begun to take bids on the $18 million project, which will be publicly owned but privately operated. The city plans to garner only a small portion of the proceeds, with rest of the revenue claimed by the private contractor, allowing what it hopes will be lower monthly subscription costs that could range from $10 to $20. Public hearings by the Wireless Task Force, which is headed by Alderman Edward Burke, will start this summer, with the first on July 21.
In addition to a number of smaller locales, larger U.S. cities like Minneapolis, Philadelphia, and San Francisco have announced citywide Wi-Fi plans. The most ambitious project globally is underway in Taipei, Taiwan, with 3300 access points for its 2.6 million residents currently operational, covering half of the city’s 106 mi².
Logging on at the show
NPE attendees have a number of Wi-Fi options, according to Mary Kay Marquisos, director of public relations for the Chicago Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority. McCormick Place hotspots include The Plate Room Food Court and Starbucks on level 2.5; McDonald’s and Starbucks in level 2 of the North Building; and the fourth- and fifth-floor commons areas in the South building. Marquisos says the hotspots do not extend into any of the show halls.
In addition, the Networks restaurant and bar in the attached Hyatt Regency McCormick Place hotel has Wi-Fi access, although the rooms do not. McCormick charges $9.95/day for the service, payable by credit card. Marquisos says the network can accommodate more than 3000 users concurrently. In addition to Wi-Fi, McCormick Place provides Internet2, which is a permanent high-speed connection, for data sharing, grid computing, and resolution imaging. Saying it’s seen increased demand for high-speed Internet and private, secured networks, the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority has created a 500-mile fiberoptic network at McCormick that allows exhibitors to create their own network at the show. In addition, McCormick offers equipment rental and consulting services.
Flying the Wi-Fi skies
In late 2004, the Chicago Concourse Development Group began work on offering Wi-Fi access at the city’s two main airports, O’Hare and Midway, through a neutral host so that travelers could get access regardless of their own carrier. Operational in 2005, the service expanded Wi-Fi beyond the VIP airline lounges where it was previously offered.
Now in addition to the Hilton and bus station at O’Hare, travelers can log on in Terminal One on concourses B and C; Terminal Two in the main area, and on concourses E and F; and in Terminal Three on concourses H and K. Midway offers access at all three terminals, A, B, and C, as well as in its food court.--TD; tdeligio@modplas.com
NPE 2006 Facts
Where: McCormick Place, Chicago, IL, USA
When: June 19-23, 2006
Exhibitors: 2000+
Space: 1 million ft2 (93,000 m²)
Registration/information: www.npe.org
Chicago information: www.choosechicago.com