Welsh Town of Caldicot Moots Deployment of Free Public Wi-Fi

The town of Caldicot in Monmouthshire (South Wales, UK), which is home to around 10,000 people, has reportedly bid to secure £1,800 of funding from the Severnside Programme Board. The money will, it’s hoped, be used to deploy a free public WiFi wireless Internet service across the town centre.

Apparently the board has already given preliminary approval for the project, which will be delivered in partnership with Cardiff-based ISP Spectrum Internet and the Government’s Super-Connected Cities initiative, although in order to proceed the plan must also gain final approval from the county council. Sadly this won’t take place until next month, but hopes are high.

The Caldicot Town Team states (here):

“By providing Super Fast broadband infrastructure to the town centre, retail units become more appealing to potential businesses over perhaps other towns with a similar make up as Caldicot. … Local independent businesses will be able to explore the huge benefits of online shopping to their existing client base, and encourage new customers to invest in independent stores, keeping more of the money earned in Severnside, spent locally.”

Apparently 12 local businesses in the town centre have expressed a desire to help support the deployment and the first access point has reportedly already been deployed at the town team’s offices in Jubilee Way car park. It’s noted that Spectrum Internet has separately also installed similar WiFi hotspots around Caldicot Castle and at Tintern Old Station.