This is great news for travellers to London in 2012 – British mobile carrier O2 announced on Friday that they would setup a London wide wifi network and this is the best bit of news – will be completely free!
Here are the details from O2:
Visitors to and residents in Westminster and Kensington & Chelsea are to enjoy free wifi access on their mobile phones, laptops and tablet devices following a landmark deal between Westminster City Council, the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea and network operator O2. The deal will result in the largest free wireless hub in Europe, making free wifi available to millions of residents and visitors.
The deal, which will run at no cost to the councils or the taxpayer, is part of both councils’ plans to ensure that the millions of visitors that come to the city have the best experience possible and can make the most of what London has to offer – particularly given the double celebrations of the Diamond Jubilee and 2012 Olympic Games taking place this year – whilst delivering longer term benefits to businesses.
Free wifi access will be available throughout Westminster and Kensington & Chelsea once the Metro wireless network is installed on the street furniture. It will initially be rolled out in a limited number of areas and then throughout the boroughs over the longer term. O2 will begin installing the network in January 2012. O2 Wifi launched in January 2011 with the ambition to roll out free, fast and open wifi, via strategic partnerships, across the UK.
Can’t wait to test it out myself when we get to London in May. The real test will be if it actually works or not. No more going to the Apple store to steal Wifi!
Author: Jonathan Thomas
Jonathan is a consummate Anglophile who launched Anglotopia.net in 2007 to channel his passion for Britain. Londontopia is its sister publication dedicated to everything London.
I also will be in London in May–hope this works!l