Andrews – Events inside the town are about to be enhanced by the Andrews Chamber of Commerce’s new partnership with BalsamWest.
This collaboration will provide free Wi-Fi for all Andrews chamber events, from the public library to the police department, with coverage of Chestnut, First and Locust streets. This happy addition came about as part of the chamber’s efforts to appeal to vendors’ need for internet access.
“We put out a survey after the 2022 Spring Fling,” Andrews chamber Director Nola Cooper said. “Overwhelmingly, the one thing they brought up was their inability to connect to the internet.”
The vendors rely on service to run their credit cards for purchases. Cooper researched the area to determine the best way to solve this problem.
BalsamWest, a chamber member, came up with the most viable solution, with a three-year contract beginning in 2023. The chamber is excited about the offering.
“This coverage will mean that vendors and attendees of all chamber events – including Spring Fling, Oktoberfest, Christmas on Main and Food Truck Fridays – will have access to reliable Wi-Fi,” Cooper said. “There will be eight access points across town to provide that service, which will be managed by BalsamWest via their managed router service.”
The cost of the service will be covered by an increase in vendor’s fees by $10.
“Registered vendors will receive a password with their event information,” Cooper said. “The public will also have secure access, which is planned for each event so attendees can livestream and enter photo booth contests more easily.”