Summary: ABC TV News featured Walker Sands client Azulstar (then named Ottawa Wireless) for deploying the nation's first citywide WiFi network in Grand Haven, Michigan. Walker Sands is a leading Chicago PR firm. We are widely recognized as a strong tech PR firm but also serve many other industries.

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August 5, 2004 — A city known for its boating and beaches, Grand Haven is a "hot spot" when it comes to wireless Internet access. The city's claimed bragging rights as the first to be covered completely with wireless internet service.
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No more fumbling with phone lines or cables. America's completely wireless city is showing us the future of the web. Relaxing on the boat or sitting in the park. Anywhere you go, you're connected. It's a place where you can be online, all the time. No cables required.

Denny Van Hall is in a business where it's crucial to have information at your fingertips. The real estate agent gets all the latest home listings simply by turning on his laptop in his car. A flick on the mouse-touchpad and he's online, scrolling through home listings on the internet.

"We can stop in front of a house, pull in the driveway, get all the information, get the other agent's name and see if we can get into it right away," said Van Hall.

He was the first customer on grand haven's city-wide Wi-Fi internet service. This city, perhaps best known for boating and beautiful lake views, is putting itself on the map in the wireless revolution. Get a laptop computer with a wireless card or wireless capability and you're on the internet without plugging in a thing.

"Wherever you go in grand haven, you will be able to be on the net," said Van Hall.

You can imagine the possibilities with this: as long as you have a lap top - you can be online. If you're walking along and want to look up something on Google, go ahead, you can Google it. If you want to check on your email, you can do that. Need to get some work done? Anyplace, anytime - you can do it right here. You could be productive around the clock, if you want to. The question is: do you want to?

"If you're accessible 24/7, then you're working too hard and you're too connected," said Van Hall.

Rick Lubbers may have found the perfect balance. His office is his boat and he runs his website design business from his laptop, using the new wireless internet connection. When he leaves the dock - he can still be online with a special antenna. The wireless internet works up to 15 miles offshore when he feels like working.

All of this is the brain-child of a former Intel engineer, 32 year old Tyler Van Houwelingen. He convinced the city to allow him and his Ottawa Wireless Company to install antennas all around Grand Haven. He insists the wireless network is as secure as DSL or cable. Grand Haven subscribers pay less than $20 a month for the service.

"We don't have coverage in the cemetery, there's not a big demand for that yet but in all public areas of the city, everywhere you go, you will find access," said Van Houwelingen.

For the many tourists here, at least one local hotel is now offering the wireless internet free for its customers.

"As a businessperson, you can come and take a vacation here and, if you have to work half the time, you can do it," said the mayor. "Only if you want to!"

Copyright © 2004. ABC Inc., WLS Television, Inc.