O2 are building a
hotspot network called O2 Wifi. It’s free and you don’t even have to be an O2
customer to use it. Even if your business mobile’s with another network or you get your home broadband
from someone else, everyone will be able to use it.
from someone else, everyone will be able to use it.
O2 Wifi will give
you speeds up to ten times faster than a normal mobile connection and when
you’re browsing on Wifi you’re not eating up your monthly mobile data
allowance.
By the end of the
year O2 will have set up thousands of hotspots. And by 2013, they aim to have
14,000 hotspots across the UK – double the number anyone offers now. This means we’ll be able to use O2 Wifi in
shops, cafes and bars. Then train stations, airports, shopping centres,
libraries, parks and stadiums.
O2 has already
signed a deal with London's Westminster City Council and the Royal Borough of
Kensington and Chelsea to create Europe's largest free wireless hub in
Europe.
The deal is part of both
councils' plans to ensure that visitors to London will be able to make the most
out of London's offerings, particularly in a year in which both the Diamond
Jubilee and the Olympics take place. The costs of providing the Wi-Fi have been
covered by O2, and not at the expense of the taxpayer.
So what’s in it
for O2?
Well for a start
Wifi can immediately take some of the strain off the operators 3G network
resulting in a better service for voice users as well. Other reasons for doing so could
include getting hold of user data that they can sell to venues or advertisers
and of course by opening it up to everyone they can start marketing the network
to people who aren't already on O2.
For advice on any aspect of your business communications, contact 8020 Ltd on 01387 250008.
For advice on any aspect of your business communications, contact 8020 Ltd on 01387 250008.
Andrew Edgar
Managing Director
8020 Ltd
01387 250008
