The borough and the Central Council of Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska, which operates Tidal Network, have entered into an agreement for free public Wi-Fi at Shoemaker Harbor.
The new service would be in place within three months, said Chris Cropley, Tidal Network director.
The borough assembly approved the agreement unanimously Sept. 23.
Under the deal, the borough will provide in-kind support, including up to 20 amps of continuous electrical power and mounting rights on harbor facilities for the necessary equipment.
Tidal Network will furnish, install and maintain all Wi-Fi equipment at its own expense and will offer “best-effort” public service.
The agreement is good for two years.
The company said it is providing the service because Wrangell is a Tidal Network community and to ensure adequate internet coverage in the area.
“The internet isn’t what it used to be. It’s no longer a luxury,” Cropley said. “When the internet goes down, the complaint isn’t, ‘Oh no, I can’t watch Netflix.’ It’s, ‘I can’t order my medicine,’ or ‘I can’t pay my bill.’”
Cropley said offering Wi-Fi at the harbor also helps Tidal defend its rights to the 2.54 GHz spectrum.
“It’s basically a use-it-or-lose-it kind of thing,” he said. The federal government grants licenses to wireless providers, allocating a slot on the airwaves. If a license holder doesn’t use the slot, they could lose it.
He added that free Wi-Fi can be easier for some people to access than a paid smartphone plan requiring a SIM or eSIM card.
“With the Wi-Fi service, when someone arrives in the harbor they can contact family, check the news or the weather report,” Cropley said. “It’s such a valuable tool that has become necessary.”
Wrangell is the pilot location for Tidal’s partner communities initiative.
“We’re happy to leverage our resources in Wrangell, and it’s a good location for us to see how things will go as we move forward to prove how the model we have will work,” he said.
Tidal Network currently provides wireless internet service in Wrangell, using transmitters mounted on leased towers near downtown and at Shoemaker Bay. The provider has installed its own tower near 3-Mile, and is waiting to install the wireless equipment at that site.
The tribal organization is using federal grant funds to build and operate a wireless internet system in Southeast. Wrangell, where limited service started up late last year, is its first community.