Mobile operator and ISP O2 UK has said that it intends to "rapidly build" the coverage of its FREE public Wi-Fi (Wireless Internet) Hotspot service (O2 Wifi) by appointing Ben Mein to be its new Head of Commercial Delivery for the project.O2 Wifi was first announced in January 2011 (here) and is open for all customers and non-customers alike to access for free, no matter which mobile operator or broadband ISP they use. The operator ultimately aims to have set-up thousands of new UK WiFi Hotspots by the end of 2011, rising to 14,000 by 2013.
Ben Mein, Head of Commercial Delivery for O2 Wifi, said:
"I am pleased to be joining Gavin and the O2 Wifi team to help create a scaled wifi platform with the aim to at least double the number of premium hotspots currently offered by BT Openzone and The Cloud combined by 2013. Following the team’s already successful hotspot rollout in its retail and office estate this year, I am relishing the challenge to develop our unique offering with partner venue owners to rapidly build our footprint throughout the rest of the UK over the coming months and years."
"I am pleased to be joining Gavin and the O2 Wifi team to help create a scaled wifi platform with the aim to at least double the number of premium hotspots currently offered by BT Openzone and The Cloud combined by 2013. Following the team’s already successful hotspot rollout in its retail and office estate this year, I am relishing the challenge to develop our unique offering with partner venue owners to rapidly build our footprint throughout the rest of the UK over the coming months and years."
Previously O2 had been dependent upon both BTOpenzone and The Cloud for its Wi-Fi service, although the latter was recently sold to Sky Broadband (BSkyB has its own plans for a similar service). Likewise Virgin Media is also looking to launch a Wi-Fi based service and thus O2 needed something of its own.
Mein is a former director for The Nielsen Company’s Online and Media business.
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