Want a cool place to surf this summer? You can surf the Net for free at the North Grand Mall. High-speed Internet is available throughout the entire mall.

“North Grand Mall contacted Iowa State through the Trademark Licensing Office as an opportunity to get ISU to sponsor this new service,” said Carole Custer, director of university marketing.

Custer said this is a year-long experiment to see how much business the service would bring to the mall. She said the service would not just be offered to students, but to alumni, prospective students, shoppers and others who don’t know what Iowa State has to offer. Custer estimated the service would cost about $5,000.

Custer said when guests of the mall connect to the wireless Internet, the first thing they will see is where, in the mall, they can find Cyclone gear and various facts about the university.

Custer also said she thinks that offering free Internet access is “magnificent,” because “it brings awareness about our great institution and brings attention to where Iowa State merchandise is being sold.”

According to a press release, Coach House gifts, Domes Hat Co., Foot Locker, GameStop, JCPenney, Riddle’s Jewelry, Sports Page, Strawberry Patch and Younkers are all stores at North Grand mall that offer licensed ISU merchandise.

Bonnie Johnson, marketing manager at North Grand Mall, said the idea to offer free Internet at the mall came from shoppers and store employees by word of mouth. She also said she hopes it will bring increased traffic to the mall.

“Hopefully people would come grab a bite to eat [and] shop, as well as browse the Internet.”

Johnson said she hopes this service will be ongoing because she it’s a great way to bring Iowa State and North Grand Mall together.

Johnson said she was thrilled because many other malls offer free Internet, but what makes North Grand Mall unique is that it’s offered throughout the majority of the mall.

Other malls, Johnson said, frequently offer Internet access in food courts. The only locations in the mall where Internet is not offered are near Cinemark North Grand 5 and near the public restrooms.