If you’re out and about at one of Cullman’s many downtown events this year, staying online as you walk and wander with your mobile device might mean racking up a bigger data bill.

But if you just can’t wait to post that freshly taken photo or simply need to immediately dial up some quick event info, there’s a free new get-connected service that should look familiar to anyone who’s ever logged onto the internet at a retail coffee shop or hotel.

Stretching all along First Avenue from Cullman’s Skate Depot skatepark on the north side to Mary Carter in the south, a string of publicly available wireless internet access points can effectively allow any laptop, tablet or smart phone to get online while putting nary a dent in your data plan. Conceived by local photographer and businessman Dave Warren, the Connect WiFi service began rolling out late last year as a way to score free internet access in the high-traffic outdoor spaces in Cullman’s Warehouse District and points just beyond.

“It’s the exact same thing as what you see in a hotel,” explains Warren, who modeled the service after similar free-access internet setups he encountered while traveling. “It’s the exact same technology as an airport — I mean, that’s literally where I got the idea.”

For anyone who’s ever struggled with signal issues wherever big crowds are gathered, a perk of the service is its ability to accommodate internet seekers even when their phones are struggling to send so much as a text message.

“I realized how bad cell service is when a bunch of people are in town, or like at the beach during the summer, when the cell service just stinks,” Warren said. “I thought, if I could provide free wifi during big events or on the beach, people would probably jump at the chance to have that when their cell signal is barely working.”

Although Connect WiFI provides a public-facing amenity at no cost, it’s not a service affiliated with the city or any other public entity; rather, its numerous signal points are placed on private property via agreements that Warren has negotiated with nearby owners. The catch for keeping the service free? It’s the same as with other free-access spots that cater to mobile users: Enter your email address, see a quick ad, and then surf to your heart’s content.

Warren says a number of local businesses and organizations already have hopped aboard to sponsor the service, including Wallace State Community College, Visit Cullman, and the Tesha Brewer office of State Farm Insurance. He describes it as a smart and symbiotic business arrangement: “You sponsor the service, and then reap the goodwill of providing that free wifi for the community.”

Cullman’s not the only location where Warren’s rolling out his open-air wifi idea. “I currently have 14 locations in Alabama and the beaches of 30A in Florida,” he said. “I have five locations on the beach, all pretty much concentrated in that 30A area around Destin.”

To find out more about sponsoring new local spots where Connect WiFi might expand, email Warren at Info@connectwi-fi.com. And to tap into the service the next time you’re near the Warehouse District, just watch for it to pop up in your device’s menu of wifi providers.

Benjamin Bullard can be reached by phone at 256-734-2131 ext. 234.