Macomb becoming a "hotspot"

Article posted with permission from The Macomb Journal (Sunday, November 13, 2005 edition). Written by Tom Radz, Assistant News Editor.

MACOMB - For those who cannot deal with the cold weather, you are in luck, because as of last weekend Macomb has a new "hotspot" - in fact, it has six of them.

The term "hotspots" refers to locations in which patrons of local establishments will be able to freely surf the world wide web, due to the Macomb-based Internet provider Logonix Corporation offering business their services.

The businesses that are currently serving as "hotspots" are The Little Java House, Larry A's West, Pagliai's Pizza, Dillon's Barbeque, The Student Prince, and The Old Dairy.

Kim Limkeman (standing right) explains to Steven Peck (seated left), owner of Student Prince, how to access his company's high-speed Internet service, while Ryan Limkeman (rear center), marketing director for Logonix, looks on. Student Prince is one of six new "hotspots" where patrons of local businesses get free access to wireless high-speed Internet services.

"Every one of those restaurants has table tents that gives you instructions on how to get online and how to access it," said Kim Limkeman, president of Logonix.

Patrons at the participating businesses must have their own laptop computer to gain access to the Internet at no charge. Computers must have a standard wireless 802.11 WiFi access point to take advantage of the Internet services, which already have a firewall installed to prevent inappropriate usage.

"Hotspots are not anything new," Limkeman said. "They have been going on in the West Coast for a number of years. We just felt like this was a good opportunity to get our name out there, and at the same time help businesses bring in new customers to their establishment."

The latter is exactly what Steven Peck, owner of Student Prince, was hoping when he agreed to be one of the "hotspots" for Logonix.

"I'm hoping this service will bring in more college kids, because right now we only get a college crowd on the weekends for breakfast," Peck said. "So, I'm hoping that maybe this will attract more of the college kids to come in and eat during the week."

Although the "hotspots" have been operational for nearly one week now, Limkeman claims Logonix has not received enough feedback, as of yet, to determine how well the public is taking to them.

"It's a little new yet to get any kind of feedback, but we are monitoring it internally and we are seeing traffic on it, but it's new," Limkeman said.

In addition to being the only sponsor of local "hotspots," Logonix, a locally owned corporation, also has the distinction of being the only provider to exclusively offer high-speed Internet to residential and corporate customers."

While other providers in the area offer high-speed Internet and dial-up services, Logonix does not offer dial-up Internet access."

Five employess at Logonix handle the day-to-day operations out of their office located at 527 E. Grant St. Their service area includes all of Macomb, Bushnell, and Astoria. They offer their residential customers high-speed Internet service for $29.95 per month.

For more information about Logonix, log on to their Web site at www.logonix.net, call 309-836-7343 or stop by their office.

Their hours of operation are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and technical support is offered at various hours throughout the day and evening, depending on the availability of their technicians.