Rio Rancho offers free access to Wi-Fi system

Residents of Rio Rancho, N.M., will be able to access the citywide Wi-Fi network for free after the city council voted to change the terms of its agreement with service provider Azulstar.

Under the new agreement, Rio Rancho citizens will be able to access the Internet via the Azulstar Wi-Fi network at no cost after viewing a short video commercial upon logging onto the system, Azulstar CEO Tyler van Houwelingen said. Previously, Rio Rancho residents could use the Azulstar network at low cost, and the city received a percentage of Azulstar’s revenues, van Houwelingen said. Under the new agreement, the revenue-sharing arrangement was dissolved, and Azulstar will depend solely on targeted advertising to generate revenues.