Phase 1 of the network covers one mile and stretches down South Main Street from Market to Exchange and includes Cascade Plaza, Lock 3, and the Akron Civic Theatre, along with buildings and sidewalk cafes adjacent to Main Street.

The wireless network will continue to roll out through the summer, and is scheduled to be completed by October. The 10 square mile network includes the Urban League to the South, Portage Path School of Technology to the West, the North Hill Library to the North, and Goodyear to the East. Also included in the 10 square miles is the Airport Industrial Park on Triplett Boulevard, and the neighborhood business districts in Firestone Park, Sand Run, and Kenmore.

Areas will continue to “light up” as the work progresses, and services will be available to many areas prior to October as the network continues to be built, deployed, and tested.  Subscribe to our blog to keep updated on our progress by subscribing to the Connect Akron Blog  and checking our coverage map.

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In addition to the beginning the installation of the network, a team of public safety representatives from the City of Akron will be scheduling a meeting with Ohio Edison and First Energy to develop the use of the Connect Akron Network for Smart Grid technology trials and deployment in the near future.” Also remove the Knight Center of Digital Excellence tag.

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