An Internet service provider in western El Dorado County this week launched a series of wireless hot spots in the Placerville and El Dorado Hills areas available to anyone with a Wi-Fi-equipped computer.
The service, which will range in speed from 512 kilobits per second to 2 megabits per second, will be similar to what's available at Starbucks locations, said Ken Garnett, chief technology officer of Direct Connect, the Shingle Springs ISP.
He said the service is aimed at anyone from mobile professionals such as real estate agents and appraisers, to homeowners who want full-time Internet connections.
The coverage area ranges from Latrobe and Garden Valley to El Dorado Hills and Placerville, he said. Rates range from $1.95 an hour to $49.95 a month, and users can sign up when they first go online.
More information is available at www.eldoradowireless.com.
-- Clint Swett
