Nokia sponsors free WiFi for City of London

Stephen Withers
Wednesday, 25 April 2007 12:48

Your IT - Home IT

Mobile broadband operator The Cloud switched on its outdoor WiFi network in the City of London this week, and Nokia is sponsoring free access for the first month.

The Cloud and the City of London Corporation have installed an initial 127 nodes on lamp posts and street signs around the 'Square Mile' - London's financial district that takes in the Bank of England and Lloyd's, as well as landmarks such as St Paul's Cathedral.

"Metro WiFi networks are changing the face of towns and cities around the world for both public access and public sector applications, " said Niall Murphy, co-founder and chief strategy officer of The Cloud. "The City of London network is a global benchmark for cities and metro WiFi, and an exciting addition to The Cloud’s network across the UK and our other city networks in Europe."

Over time, the partners expect to cover 95 percent of the Square Mile. The network is a wireless mesh, using technology from BelAir Networks.

The Cloud, which also operates at over 8500 locations around Europe, normally offers access on per-minute or per day rates, ranging from £2.99 for 30 minutes (unused minutes remain valid for 30 days) to £29.99 for 30 days. The City of London free trial is restricted to devices that have a web browser.