The City of London is now offering a free WiFi network slated to deliver speeds of up to 180 Mbps, reported ComputerWeekly.com. The network provides outdoor users with broadband across the entire “Square Mile” via small cells placed on “street furniture” such as lamp posts, street signs, buildings, and CCTV columns.
Over the last seven months, a joint venture between mobile operator O2, passive infrastructure supplier Cornerstone Technology Infrastructure(CTIL), Virgin Media, UK Power Networks, and highways contractor JB Riney has produced a network of more than 150 Cisco Aironet next-generation wireless access points (APs) to better connect residents and visitors plus help drive economic growth.
According to O2 COO Derek McManus, “We understand the importance of digital connectivity in terms of driving the economy and ensuring that London can continue to compete on a global scale. This is why we are investing in the City of London’s wireless infrastructure, to give people what they need wherever they are – reliable internet on the go.”
The need for outdoor broadband at street level is due to London’s challenging design; streets that follow a largely medieval layout and tall buildings making it harder for users on the go to access adequate 4G network signals. The O2 et al. project, which has been nine months in the making, will replace the current offering powered by Sky-owned “The Cloud”.
The network is free to use and will require a one-time only registration.
October 19, 2017
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