York architect Bob Mock used to have a standing business meeting at a coffee shop in town. When the coffee shop closed, they didn’t know of a suitable meeting place with Internet access.
That led Mock to launch Y-FI, a free wi-fi network in downtown York, in 2009. Since the first access point opened at the city’s Central Market, it has expanded to more than 30 wireless access points clustered downtown. Businesses and nonprofits pay for the hardware to operate access points at their offices and expand the network, so Y-FI has no recurring costs.
“It’s all open,” says Mock, who runs Y-FI in addition to his day job. “There aren’t any passwords to get on. You don’t have to pay for it.” He says it’s hard to estimate how many people use Y-FI, but it’s helped turn Central Market into a popular gathering place for people with laptops.
Now the York County Economic Development Corporation is partnering with Y-FI to expand the network. Mock says he’ll continue to handle the technical side of things, but the economic development group will build relationships in the city and seek grants to expand the network’s reach.
Mock, understandably, is thrilled.
“When I started the network I said, ‘We’ll take this as far as the funders are willing,’ ” he says.
Source: Bob Mock, Y-FI
Writer: Rebecca VanderMeulen
