Metro:Town offers free wireless internet

http://www.metro.co.uk/news/article.html?Town_offers_free_wireless_internet&in_article_id=771270&in_page_id=34
Town offers free wireless internet
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Swindon is to provide free wireless internet access to all its residents A town is to become the first in the UK to provide free wireless internet access to all its residents.
Swindon, in Wiltshire, will be covered by a "WiFi mesh" offering blanket internet coverage for its 186,000 citizens, the council said.

The £1 million project will be funded by a mixture of public and private money.


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But it hopes to break into profit with residents subscribing to faster, paid-for access, above the free service.

Some 1,400 secure access points will be fitted around Swindon, similar to those used in homes "but with a much higher performance".

The borough council worked with local businessman Rikki Hunt, who came up with the concept, and digital technology firm aQovia to create a new company - Digital City UK. Under the brand name Signal, it will roll out the technology throughout the town.

Line rental is free and there is no connection charge. The public will be able to access the internet and download emails without charge but usage will be limited. Anti-virus software, and popular services offered by Microsoft and Google will all be on the network.

There are also plans to deliver information such as real-time information on home electricity usage and air quality monitoring. The technology also promises to "revolutionise" home and business security with remote CCTV, which can work via laptops.

Subscribers can sign up for 20Mb upgrades for "significantly less per month than major broadband competitors" following a free three-month trial, the council said. There will also be pay-as-you-go options so visitors to the town can also use the network.

The Wi-Fi project will be run by Digital City UK Ltd, of which Swindon Borough Council has a 35% share, with the intention of working on similar roll-outs of the technology in other towns and cities across the UK.