Although wi-fi was first installed in 85 California State Parks last year, many people,myself included, may first take advantage of of the new infrastructure this year. I was surfing the ReserveAmerica website to reserve a camping spot this summer and noticed that many of the California parks have little Wifi icons next to them. Ooh, gotta check out one of those.

Park visitors who are not currently SBC Wi-Fi customers can purchase a 24-hour SBC Wi-Fi session for $7.95 or a monthly SBC membership for $19.95 and receive unlimited access to SBC hot spots nationwide.

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Consumers increasingly are using the Internet to make their vacation and recreation planning easier, safer, and more enjoyable. While at the park, visitors with Wi-Fi enabled laptops can send e-mail and instant messages to communicate with family and friends, share digital pictures of their vacation, obtain driving directions or locate hiking trails or nearby restaurants.

"I'm also very pleased that visitors to our Wi-Fi enabled parks will have free access to state operated web sites, including our award-winning site, www.parks.ca.gov," Coleman said. "Through our web sites, visitors can do an electronic exploration of our park system to obtain ideas for their vacation."

Coleman noted that park visitors will benefit from free Wi-Fi access to state web sites such as www.reserveamerica.com where they can make campground reservations, www.dot.ca.gov which provides updates on road conditions and www.gocalif.ca.gov, the state's tourism site.

More At: SBC Communications Announces Wireless Internet Access to be Available in 85 California State Parks

Posted by sorsha on May 9, 2006 8:36 PM | Permalink