The Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership will unveil details of its plan to bring wireless Internet access to the Golden Triangle at a press conference in Market Square today. The neighborhood advocacy group is expected to announce that it has signed a deal with Louisville, Ky-based US Wireless Online to operate the network, which is expected to be free-of-charge to Downtown Web surfers for a limited time each day.

William Peduto, City Council's point man on Wi-Fi, said the city's contract with the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership ensures that other carriers also can mount antennae on Downtown lamp posts.

He said three organizations -- the Pittsburgh Technology Council, Wireless Neighborhoods and 3 Rivers Connect -- are in talks about soliciting proposals from other carriers that might want to be part of a citywide or countywide "mesh" of Wi-Fi systems.

Such a system would be open to all providers and would include incentives for providing service in low-income neighborhoods.

When plans to build a Wi-Fi network Downtown were announced in the spring, there was speculation that some local nonprofit groups would join forces to negotiate a citywide Wi-Fi deal that would negate Verizon Communications Inc.'s right to block a municipally run high-speed Internet network if the city were to earn money from it.

Officials at the Technology Council and 3 Rivers Connect reiterated that discussions about the possibility of a citywide Wi-Fi network, and their involvement in developing one, are preliminary.

Both groups, which served on the Downtown partnership's Wi-Fi advisory board, said they have yet to determine what role they will take in helping the city deploy a wireless Internet network.

"It's very early stage," said Chris Sweeney, executive director of 3 Rivers Connect. "We're happy that the city is considering it."

"It's premature to even speculate ... but it is going to occur," added Dick Skrinjar, the mayor's spokesman.

Officials at Wireless Neighborhoods could not be reached for comment.

Mr. Peduto said Kilbuck Township and Wilkinsburg Borough have contacted him about becoming part of a Wi-Fi system -- if and when a citywide network were to be launched.