San Francisco Upgrades Free Wi-Fi Ahead of Super Bowl

Free Wi-Fi. Locals consider it a birthright.

Now comes word that San Francisco will be getting upgrades to the city’s free Wi-Fi service in time for the upcoming Super Bowl, the mayor’s office announced today.

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The #SFWiFi system will be getting upgrades along Market Street and in the five San Francisco Municipal Railway Muni Metro underground stations on Market Street.

“Enhanced reliable, free high-speed Internet along Market Street will help all San Franciscans stay connected,” Mayor Ed Lee said in a statement. “Improvements will be made in time for our free, public celebrations for Super Bowl 50 and will be a lasting legacy after the celebrations are over.”

The upgrades are being made by the city’s Department of Technology with the help of the Super Bowl 50 Host Committee.

The committee organized a partnership with Extreme Networks to increase capacity in the Super Bowl City area around Justin Herman Plaza, and the Department of Technology and Cisco Systems are working to establish better service in surrounding areas during and after the event.

The city is expecting around 1 million visitors during Super Bowl 50 events.

Super Bowl City, a free fan village, will be open Saturday through Feb. 7 in the Justin Herman Plaza area, while Moscone Center will be host to the NFL Experience, a ticketed event.

The Super Bowl itself will be held at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara on Feb. 7. San Francisco’s free city Wi-Fi launched in 2013 and is available in 33 parks and public spaces, all libraries and more than three miles of the Market Street corridor.

--Bay City News

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