UK Gov promises 1000 new Wi-Fi hotspots by March 2015


The UK government has pledged to transform over 1000 public buildings across the country into free Wi-Fi hotspots.


By March 2015, museums, libraries, sport centres, and other public hubs will offer up free net access to any willing entrant.


The news comes courtesy of the Department for Culture, Media & Sport, in an effort to ensure UK cities ‘boast world-class connectivity’.


Ed Vaizey, the UK’s Digital Economy Minister, said the move is ‘all part of the Government’s long term economic plan.”


The digital landscape of the UK is undergoing a period of tremendous improvement,” Vaizey said. “For business, visitors and the UK public, accessing Wi-Fi in our cities is absolutely vital.”


“These free hotspots will be instrumental in making UK cities even more appealing as places to not only do business, but to visit as well.”


The move is part of the government’s SuperConnected Cities initiative, which looks to heave Blighty into the digital age with the help of £150 million in funding.


The roster of cities involved reads as follows: Aberdeen, Belfast, Brighton and Hove, Birmingham, Cambridge, Cardiff, Derby, Derry, Edinburgh, Leeds and Bradford, London, Manchester, Oxford, Perth, Portsmouth, and Salford.


It’s a decent time to be a web-surfer in the UK then, as yesterday EE revealed it had launched its superfast 4G plus network in London.


The new service offers download speeds of up to 150Mbps, should your smartphone be equipped with the CAT-6 tech needed to make use of the LTE-Advanced 4G service.


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