To view our videos, you need to
enable JavaScript. Learn how.
install Adobe Flash 9 or above. Install now.

Then come back here and refresh the page.

WILMINGTON—New Hanover County residents could soon have a new way to get online.

The county launched the nation's first wireless Internet using what is known as white spaces. Jim McDaniel, New Hanover County Director of Parks, describes White Spaces as “Wi-Fi on steroids.” The bandwidth being utilized is leftover from the digital switch.

“So just imagine when we use to get our television shows through our antennas this is the same technology," said McDaniel.

Airlie Gardens is one of the test sites for the new white space technology. They used the connection with new park cameras.

" Before we would have to trench wires in the ground and have to worry about a bunch of hardwire. Now it's very simple, quick, fast and easy installation. It also gives us flexibility to move them, so the cameras that are there today for surveillance may not be there tomorrow," said McDaniel.

In the IT world this new wireless connectivity is a faster way to transfer data and deploy services to areas they haven't been able to reach.

" These bands tend to work without clear line of sight and will go through trees and bushes and go through walls for us. So it opens up a whole realm of possibilities for where we can feed data," said New Hanover County IT Director Leslie Chaney.

Eventually an entire community could choose to take advantage of the new technology. For example, your county could decide to add the connectivity into you tax base. So no matter where you go in your community you would have access to the Internet.

The new network is also expected to bring new products, services and opportunities to the area.

"The last spectrum that was offered in a non-licensed way lead to the home router you have today with wireless. So lots of innovation," said Chaney.

The service is also available at Hugh MacRae Park, baseball fields, playgrounds and picnic shelters.

" The possibilities are endless it literally untethered us from the cables," said McDaniel.

Spectrum Bridge is the provider officially launching the TV White Spaces Network in New Hanover County.