Glasgow Allows BT to Deploy City Wide FREE Wireless Internet Hotspots

The Glasgow City Council has awarded a “wireless concession” to BT that allows the UK telecoms operator to roll-out a free wireless Internet service across the Scottish city and just in time for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. But it will only be completely free for the first 6 months.

The “Urban Wireless” scheme forms part of the Digital Glasgow roadmap, which aims to foster the development of better broadband and digital communications infrastructure in the city by 2017. BT will also work to improve the city’s 3G and 4G Mobile Broadband coverage through Small Cell technology (miniature low power cellular base stations).

Overall BT will need to install 50-80 wireless access points around “high footfall areas and transport hubs” (i.e. the council will lease street furniture and other public property for BT to install their kit), not to mention across the city centre and parts of the East End. The services coverage is expected to be extended even further during early 2015.

Gordon Matheson, Leader of Glasgow City Council, said:

“Delivering a free wifi network is a key priority of the council and we are delighted to award the Urban Wireless supplier concession to BT. This is a historic day, a first for any Scottish city and it is great to see Glasgow living up to its innovative tradition.

Glaswegians and our visitors will soon be able to access multimedia information on the city, its events, businesses and services on their devices. This network will play a key role in Glasgow’s transition to becoming a digitally connected, smart city, with all the economic and social benefits that brings.”

The service itself will be completely free for the first 6 months but after that the free period will become restricted to just 30 minutes per day.