Philadelphia City Council now has wireless Internet

There is now free Wi-Fi in City Council Chambers. Photo credit: Albert Yee.

City Council can check another thing off its Internet upgrade list: Wi-Fi.

City Council President Darrell Clarke announced last week that free Wi-Fi would now be available on the fourth floor of City Hall, including City Councilmembers’ offices and Council Chambers. Previously, only some Councilmembers had their own Wi-Fi, said Council spokeswoman Jane Roh in an email to Technically Philly.

The installation cost a one-time fee of $40,000, Roh said, partly because of all the marble in the Council Caucus room and Chambers.

“Ninety-percent of the cost was paid out of the City Employee Benefits Fund, which is funded with revenue generated by vending machines in city buildings,” Roh said. “The rest came from City Council’s budget.”