In an effort to expand the City’s freedom-friendly environment and encourage competition, Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle today announced a citywide wireless service coverage initiative to ensure all major cellular phone companies are able to provide full coverage through Anaheim’s 50 square miles.

"It’s only fitting that the United States’ largest municipal Wi-Fi city would have complete and total coverage for all wireless devices, including cellular telephones," said Mayor Pringle. "For 150 years in Anaheim, we have championed creativity, innovation and imagination – the same ideals that technology companies embody."

In the belief that competition breeds the most technologically-advanced ideas at the most advantageous prices, the Mayor will ask City staff to work with the major cellular phone service providers to determine where coverage areas may be lacking and identify ways the City may be able to help expand their services within the City limits. The Mayor’s goal would be complete and total coverage with all major providers by the end of 2007.

Anaheim has made technology a key priority in recent years. Other technology initiatives include a City agreement with AT&T to provide new television service via residential phone lines and a partnership with EarthLink to create the nation’s first municipal Wi-Fi system.

For more information on the many efforts to make Anaheim more freedom-friendly, visit www.anaheim.net.

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ABOUT ANAHEIM - The City of Anaheim, founded in 1857, is one of the nation's premier municipalities and is California's 10th most populous city. Anaheim covers 50 square miles with more than 345,500 residents and more than 3,200 City employees. The municipal corporation's annual budget is $1.4 billion. Anaheim supports a thriving business community with companies such as Carl Karcher Enterprises, Inc., L-3 Communications, Pacific Sunwear, and Disneyland Resort. Successful sports franchises call Anaheim home, including Angels Baseball, Anaheim Ducks, the 2008 Olympic Gold Medal winning U.S. Men's National Volleyball Team, and the 2008 Olympic Silver Medal winning U.S. Women's National Volleyball Team. Anaheim also boasts world-class meeting and entertainment venues with the Anaheim Convention Center, the largest on the west coast, Honda Center, The Grove of Anaheim, The Shops at Anaheim GardenWalk, and Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Annually, Anaheim welcomes millions of visitors to the city, truly making it where the world comes to live, work and play. For more information, please visit www.anaheim.net.