BT Deploy FREE WiFi to UK Tesco Extra and Superstores – Replaces O2

Supermarket giant Tesco has moved to paint over some of their financial troubles by announcing that customers who shop in their Tesco Extra or Superstores across the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland will now be able to get online via premium WiFi hotspots from BT.

Apparently the free service has already been fully rolled out to 806 Tesco Extra and Superstores in the UK and 113 stores in the Republic of Ireland. According to the press release, the new network will use BT’s “superfast wi-fi service” that, where available, can “boost stores’ bandwidth up to 76Mb” (sounds like an FTTC capacity supply).

However it’s important to point out that this is more of an upgrade than a new service because Tesco has been running a free in-store WiFi solution since 2011, which was originally being provided via the Telefónica UK (O2 Wifi) platform.

Tomas Kadlec, Tesco’s Group Technology Director, said:

“Customers now want the same kind of experience in-store as they enjoy online, with fast and convenient access to product information, pricing and offers at the touch of their fingertips.

We were the first supermarket in the UK to offer free wi-fi and the first to launch online shopping. We’re now bringing these innovations together to put our customers in control with better service and value than ever before.”

As before the BT Wi-fi service will also allow customers to download Clubcard vouchers, get product information, browse recipes and take advantage of the latest in-store offers “much quicker and more conveniently than before“.