Free Wi-fi For San Francisco From Now On

Funded through a $600,000 gift from Google to The City last year, the Department of Technology spent the past year installing and testing the networks that city officials say are ready for prime time. This also means San Francisco is officially rolling out free Wi-Fi service in 32 public parks and recreation centers.

“Wi-Fi in our city’s parks is another step toward a larger vision of connectivity for our City as a whole, bringing the digital divide and ensuring that our diverse communities have access to innovation,” Mayor Ed Lee said in a statement.

“This network will make the web more accessible than ever for thousands of our neighbors – getting online is as easy heading to the local park,” Rebecca Prozan, Google’s Public Policy and Government Affairs Manager, said in a statement.

Now, people in San Francisco can log onto free City Wi-Fi by choosing the “#sfwifi” option on their smartphones, tablets or laptops.

The plan to expand the city’s Wi-Fi is a continuing effort to improve the quality of life and level the playing field for all San Franciscans by allowing residents of all income levels access to the Internet.

The network is being monitored around-the-clock for performance issues.

Public spaces with free Wi-Fi

1. Alamo Square
2. Balboa Park
3. Bernal Heights Recreation Center
4. Boeddeker Park
5. Chinese Recreation Center
6. Civic Center Plaza
7. Corona Heights
8. Crocker Amazon Playground
9. Duboce Park
10. Eureka Valley Rec Center
11. Gene Friend Rec Center/SoMa
12. Hamilton Rec Center
13. Huntington Park
14. Joseph Lee Recreation Center
15. Justin Herman Plaza
16. Margaret Hayward
17. Marina Green
18. Minnie & Lovie Ward Rec Center
19. Mission Dolores Park
20. Mission Rec Center
21. Palega Recreation Center
22. Portsmouth Square
23. Richmond Recreation Center
24. St Mary’s Playground
25. St Mary’s Square
26. Sue Bierman Park
27. Sunnyside Playground
28. Sunset Playground
29. Tenderloin Children’s Rec Center
30. Union Square
31. Upper Noe Recreation Center
32. Washington Square

NOTE:  Mission Dolores Park and Boeddeker Park are currently under construction; Wi-Fi installation at these locations will resume once construction is complete.

Powering up parks across San Francisco gets people closer to bridging the digital divide by allowing the public to explore apps, share images and access city services on a free and robust Wi-Fi network. Please also share your comments with us.