THOMASVILLE — Thomasville Utilities will launch its wireless Internet service to the community Thursday with a “Wire Cutting” ceremony held in conjunction with the annual Customer Appreciation Day.

“Customer Appreciation Day is a great venue for the launch of our wireless service because there’s no better way to show how easy and versatile Rose.Net Wireless can be,” Sherri Nix, marketing coordinator for CNS, said. “Having a large number of our customers together at one location is the perfect way to showcase our new service. In addition to finding out more about Rose.Net Wireless, our customers can enjoy the afternoon while receiving information about many city-related services.”

The city began looking at plans to offer wireless Internet more than two years ago, officials said, when Gov. Sonny Perdue announced the availability of funding to assist local communities in establishing wireless broadband networks through the Wireless Communities Georgia Program.

Thomasville Utilities applied for funding and was one of six cities to be selected in the first round of grants.

Winners were announced in September 2006. Thomasville received a $500,000 grant. The city’s allotment has been awarded in installments to reimburse it for expenditures on the project.

The final allotment is expected to be given to the city after Thursday’s event.

“This funding allowed our plans to offer mobile Internet service to become a reality,” Don Atkinson, assistant city manager of utilities, said in a news release.

Jared Vickers, network engineer, said surveying for the project was a very “in-depth” process.

“We can’t just throw a network up and hope it works,” he said. “We have to make sure we’re not stepping on any toes of other networks.”

Installation of wireless router boxes for the first phase of the project began in September 2007 and wrapped in April. Those at Cherokee Lake were added in September of this year.

Phase One covers four miles and runs along Jackson Street, Remington Avenue, US 319, U.S. 84 and the downtown area.

Coverage areas will expand in the future, officials said.

“The goal is to have it available in public places such as restaurants and shops,” Marvin Golden, network operations director, said Monday. “We want it to eventually cover the entire downtown area.”

Wireless Internet availability will also assist city staff in daily operations, officials said.

“We will have the public safety network for our local fire, law enforcement and other service agencies,” Vickers said. “We will also have a municipal network for other city staff, in addition to the public network for residents.”