Leicester City Council is using its CCTV network to provide free wi-fi across some of the most popular areas of the city centre. A free wi-fi zone will be established in the central part of the city, including the Clock Tower, Jubilee Square and outside the Richard III centre on St Martins. The idea; wider digital access.
Planning and survey work is already under way across the city to identify the best locations for the wireless access points. The free wi-fi, which won’t cost the city council anything, should be available this spring, says the council.
Deputy City Mayor, Cllr Rory Palmer, said: “We already have free wi-fi in our libraries and we know how popular wi-fi hotspots in city centre coffee shops and other venues are. We’d like to be able to extend this offer so that people can get online even more easily. Free wi-fi will also support our plans to promote economic growth in the city as well as being an essential infrastructure for a modern connected city.”
Access to the wi-fi service will be free and unlimited to all. The new network will form part of around five million BT hotspots across the UK. It’s also hoped this deal will also attract improved mobile phone coverage as mobile operators will be able to deploy 4G in the city centre more easily.
Owen Moody, BT’s regional manager for the East Midlands, said: “Connecting people is at the heart of what we do and a great deal of work has already taken place with the city council. Being able to use technology on the move is more important than ever and we’re confident the new wi-fi network will make a big difference to people in Leicester.”
Leicester City Council chose BT to build and manage the free wi-fi network for 10 years. BT has already introduced wi-fi into other city centres across the UK, such as Cardiff, Gloucester, Glasgow, Nottingham and Newcastle.
Brian Jackson, head of sales for BT Redcare Surveillance, said: “Most UK towns and cities have invested in CCTV and video surveillance with cameras in places where lots of people pass. So it’s ideal for supporting a public wi-fi network. Our approach is simple, but effective — we’ll help customers’ get the most out of their existing CCTV systems, overlay a public wi-fi network and provide the capability for improved mobile services. All building towards a Smarter City.”
Visit www.leicester.gov.uk.
