[1st-mile-nm] Wifi in NM State Parks

[Richard Lowenberg]

Contractor setting up pay-for-play Wi-Fi hot spots in state parks around 
New Mexico

By Robert Nott
Sep 4, 2019

https://www.santafenewmexican.com/life/tech/contractor-setting-up-pay-for-play-wi-fi-hot-spots/article_f8f167ec-aa91-5794-b9f6-5e72819b6d87.html

(snip)

A state contractor has installed paid Wi-Fi service in the central 
ranger station and visitors center at Hyde Memorial State Park as part 
of a plan by the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department to 
offer the service in up to 17 of the 34 state parks in New Mexico by 
February.

The state is not paying for the service. The contractor, Viasat Inc. of 
Carlsbad, Calif., will profit from the fees users pay to access the 
internet at state park hot spots. Those rates range from $3 per hour for 
a single user to $8 per day, or up to $50 for a family to use the 
service for up to 30 days.

So far, along with Hyde park, Viasat has installed paid Wi-Fi at 
Elephant Butte Lake State Park and the Rio Grande Nature Center State 
Park. Next in line are Ute Lake State Park and Navajo Lake State Park.

Under a five-year contract between the state and Viasat, the company 
eventually will install paid Wi-Fi at all state parks, said David 
Certain, chief of the Program Support Bureau of New Mexico State Parks.

(snip)


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Richard Lowenberg, Executive Director
1st-Mile Institute     505-603-5200
Box 8001, Santa Fe, NM 87504,
rl at 1st-mile.org     www.1st-mile.org
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