Landmark deal between O2, Westminster council and Kensington and Chelsea council will turn part of the capital into Europe's largest free wireless hub.
Later this year, visitors and residents in Westminster and Kensington and Chelsea will be able to access the internet for free following the announcement of the councils’ deal with network operator O2.
The deal, which will run at no cost to the councils or the taxpayers, sees O2 install transmitters on lamp posts and other street furniture in the boroughs from this month onwards and will be partially operational by the time of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations in London in June. Initially free access will be concentrated in areas which are especially popular with tourists, ensuring visitors to the London 2012 Olympic Games will be able to avail of the service when sightseeing at some of the capital’s most famous attractions, before being rolled out across the entirety of both boroughs.
This is the first deal of its type to be brokered in the UK but could be followed by similar schemes elsewhere. Speaking at the launch, Derek McManus, O2’s chief operating officer said: “Our longer-term aim is to expand our footprint of O2 Wifi, which is open to everyone, and also intelligently enhance our services at street level, where people need the network the most.”
Later this year, visitors and residents in Westminster and Kensington and Chelsea will be able to access the internet for free following the announcement of the councils’ deal with network operator O2.
The deal, which will run at no cost to the councils or the taxpayers, sees O2 install transmitters on lamp posts and other street furniture in the boroughs from this month onwards and will be partially operational by the time of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations in London in June. Initially free access will be concentrated in areas which are especially popular with tourists, ensuring visitors to the London 2012 Olympic Games will be able to avail of the service when sightseeing at some of the capital’s most famous attractions, before being rolled out across the entirety of both boroughs.
This is the first deal of its type to be brokered in the UK but could be followed by similar schemes elsewhere. Speaking at the launch, Derek McManus, O2’s chief operating officer said: “Our longer-term aim is to expand our footprint of O2 Wifi, which is open to everyone, and also intelligently enhance our services at street level, where people need the network the most.”
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