Saturday event precedes launch of nearly 500 Wi-Fi hotspots

Cox officials, Henderson Mayor Andy Hafen and others will formally unveil one of the first of nearly 500 Cox Wi-Fi hotspots at a ceremony at 10 a.m. Saturday.

The Wi-Fi hot spots — 487 in total — will go live Tuesday. Certain Cox subscribers — preferred, premier or ultimate tier — will have free, unlimited access to the hotspots. Cox subscribers with essential or starter tier and nonsubscribers get a one-hour free trial.

Cox hotspots are part of the Cable W-Fi Alliance that includes Cox, Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Bright House Networks and Cablevision Systems. That covers 300,000 hotspots nationwide.

Also on Saturday, the company will also open a new 4,000 square-foot retail store at 545 Marks St., Suite 110, in a small strip mall near Sunset Station in Henderson.