Lee County Government, the City of Sanford, and Downtown Sanford, Inc. have partnered to provide free Wi-Fi access to a section of the downtown area.
Called “Open Sanford,” the Wi-Fi network is powered by Open Broadband, a hybrid fiber and fixed wireless ISP solution with a proven track record of fast and reliable broadband internet. The project allows for Wi-Fi through line-of-sight infrastructure, which can be expanded without the need for underground installation.
The network began operation in 2018 and is nearly 100 percent complete. Moving forward, the partnership may extend free Wi-Fi to other areas of downtown and additional areas in Sanford/Lee County where feasible.
“We appreciate every opportunity to improve broadband access here in Lee County,” says Lee County Board of Commissioners chair Kirk Smith. “Wherever feasible, we look forward to Open Broadband’s future service expansion within our county.”
“This connectivity and ease of access will enable even more and better experiences in Sanford,” says Mayor Chet Mann. “We want people to visit, stay, and enjoy themselves while shopping, dining, and taking in our downtown.”
Through this initiative, Open Broadband is now an available Internet service provider in the downtown area. Interested businesses can contact the company directly at 980-246-8989 or via their website.
View a map of the downtown area served by the Open Sanford network here.