BT WiFi Sees Record Wireless Hotspot Usage on New Years Eve

BT WiFi has announced that its UK network of 4.5 million public wireless internet hotspots saw a record usage rise on New Year’s Eve as wifi users’ online minutes jumped 317% on last year and physical data consumption grew by 260%. The network also saw 88% more unique users than at the same time last year.

Apparently the boom, claims BT, is down to the “flood of new mobile devices” and “wider availability” of wi-fi connections. Indeed BT claims that its hotspots have increased by 40% in the last year across homes, businesses, city centre cafes, hotels and shops.

Overall the main holiday period from 22nd December 2012 to 1st January 2013 also saw an average year-on-year increase of 289% in wi-fi minutes and a 245% increase in wi-fi data consumption. Christmas Day wi-fi sessions were similarly up 289% along with a massive increase in wi-fi minutes (407%) as record numbers of new tablets and mobile devices were gifted.

Andy Baker, BT Wi-fi CEO, said:

“With people off work we expected more mobile logons. This year’s jump in sessions shows users are more comfortable with their devices, which is ultimately driving demand for wi-fi.”

It should be said that the vast majority of BT’s hotspots actually come from customers of their fixed line broadband ISP packages, many of whom share their home connectivity out over the operators FON service with other BT users. BT Wi-fi is free and “unlimited” for the operators fixed line ISP users.