FAIRHOPE, Alabama—Free public wireless Internet service will be available in downtown Fairhope next month with a secure system ready for city employees this week.

“We are hoping to have the network for city employees working today or tomorrow, and the free public use available by Nov. 1,” Jason Colee, information technology director, said Thursday. “These dates are tentative, but barring any technical or weather snags we should be on schedule.”

Harbor Communications, which the city contracted for fiber-optic cable work this year, is providing the employee and public wireless service for Fairhope, Colee said during a City Council meeting last week.

Antennas have already been installed on a number of downtown light posts, he said.

In addition to the private secure system for employees, the company will provide its own bandwidth for 30 minutes of free service to the public in the downtown area.

”Basically they’ll offer 30 free minutes a day of Wi-Fi for anybody,” Colee said at the Oct. 10 council meeting. “That doesn’t sound like a whole lot. But it’s enough to check email, or check in on Facebook or Twitter, during your lunchtime.”

Longer access will be available for a fee from Harbor Communications, he said.

“If somebody does want more, (the company) is going to support it all the way,” Colee said. “They’re providing all the bandwidth for it. If (you) want it, they’ll be a way on their website when (you) hit that 30 minute cap, it to go to their website.”