City looks at WiFi feasibility: "Winter Springs officials are considering a plan that would allow residents to surf the Internet for free or for a very nominal fee.

"At a recent City Commission meeting, Commissioner Michael S. Blake brought up the idea of having the city provide broadband wireless service, or WiFi, throughout the city. It would be the first such service in Seminole County."

"'A lot of people in Winter Springs work out of their homes and they depend on wireless Internet for their work. This would be wonderful,' said Mayor John Bush.

"Cities in Europe have been quick to jump on the WiFi bandwagon, but there are only a few cities in the United States that have followed suit. They include St. Cloud, as well as Long Beach, Calif., and Milwaukee."

"The technology is in place. Winter Springs already has fiber access to the Internet backbone and it would only be a matter of running the utility from various wireless access points and then back to the base, Blake said.

"'It will attract the right residents … residents who are community-minded and forward-thinking. It will attract the right businesses and create jobs. It's the right thing to do,' he said."