07/23/03

JEFFREY KOSSEFF

Todd Kimball did not expect to strike out with the management of PGE Park when his business provided free, wireless Internet access to spectators.

But Kimball did not anticipate that the park's staff would think the offering might run afoul of one of the park's major sponsors, Comcast, the region's biggest cable provider.

As it turns out, the arrangement does not vex Comcast, but the park management is squeamish anyway.

Unlike conventional Internet service over phone or cable lines, wireless access, or WiFi, is broadcast through the air, opening the potential for such conflicts.

"This is our stadium, and we run the communications for it," said Chris Metz, a PGE Park spokesman.

Last week, Kimball's business, Moonlight Staffing, began wirelessly transmitting high-speed Internet access from its office across the street from the home field of the Portland Beavers baseball team. At any given time, as many as about 60 people with laptops equipped for WiFi can surf the Web.

The connection is one of 107 "hot spots" donated to the Personal Telco Project, an effort dedicated to creating a free "cloud" of wireless Internet access throughout the Portland area.

But PGE Park's management is not cheering.

Metz said he worries Personal Telco's news release late last week -- entitled "PGE Park gets free Wi-Fi thanks to Personal Telco and Moonlight Staffing" -- implied the park management helped market the service.

"Their service might be the greatest thing since sliced bread. That's beyond the point," Metz said. "I just don't like the way it's been portrayed in the press release without our consent."

Nigel Ballard, the Personal Telco member who issued the release, said the park's staff let him into the stadium last week to test the connection. He doesn't understand why the park's management is so worried.

"We handed a free nice thing in their lap," Ballard said. "They didn't have to spend a penny."

But Comcast, which offers broadband service over its cable television lines, is one of the park's largest sponsors.

"I just don't want to step on anyone's toes," Metz said.

Comcast, however, is not in this ballgame.

Comcast prohibits its customers from distributing the company's Internet services to the public, said Sarah Eder, a Comcast spokeswoman.

But Moonlight Staffing broadcasts a high-speed service from Beaverton-based EasyStreet Online Services, not Comcast.

Comcast has no formal position on Personal Telco, Eder said.

Moonlight's Kimball is surprised that the service stirred up controversy.

"We were doing this to help the community."

Information about Personal Telco is available on the Web at www.personaltelco.net.

Jeffrey Kosseff: 503-294-7605; jeffkosseff@news.oregonian.com