OREANDA-NEWS.  June 17, 2014. Mayor Kasim Reed and Interim General Manager Miguel Southwell announced the launch of free Wi-Fi at the world’s busiest airport.

In just under 30 days, Airport information technology employees and contractors worked around the clock to install several hundred access points across the 6.8-million-square-foot terminal complex. This new infrastructure can accommodate 15,000 simultaneous users – a seven-fold increase from the previous Wi-Fi system.
 
"Free Wi-Fi has been a top priority for us and I'm pleased that we are now able to offer this important benefit to our customers," said Mayor Kasim Reed. "At the world's busiest and most efficient airport, we must continually look to meet and exceed the demands of our customers. Wi-Fi is no longer considered an amenity; it is a necessity for today's travelers."
 
“The lack of free Wi-Fi put our airport at a competitive disadvantage and it was the number one complaint we would receive from our customers,” said Interim General Manager Miguel Southwell. “Travelers now expect airports to offer free Wi-Fi and this initiative is a prime example of our constant mission to improve the customer experience.”

The total cost of the installation was USD5,622,249 and was approved by the Atlanta City Council. Before free Wi-Fi was available, customers had to pay USD 4.95 to go online.

“Providing free Wi-Fi in the world’s busiest airport is essential and will provide an improved level of convenience for our visitors,” said Michael Dogan, Interim Chief Information Officer for the City of Atlanta.  “Free Wi-Fi has emerged as a necessary asset in today's airports, and this announcement simply enhances one of the most important and highly utilized traveling amenities.”