Free Birmingham Wi-Fi Network Goes Live

A free and unlimited public Wi-Fi network has gone live in parts of Birmingham City centre and will eventually provide access to more than one million people in the area, who can connect to the ‘_Bham Free WiFi’ hotspot from today.

The Virgin Media Business-powered network is currently available around Victoria Square and Moore Street, and will be extended to Navigation Street, High Street, Broad Street, Bennetts Hill and the area around the Cathedral in the coming weeks, providing 2.5 square miles of coverage.

Access points have been mounted onto lampposts and other street furniture, then connected to Virgin’s fibre optic network. The company is also deploying 3G and 4G small cells in the city, with plans to allow mobile operators access its network to improve coverage and capacity as the demand for mobile data continues to grow.

Super connected city

“This exciting new technology has the potential to supercharge people’s internet services with a capacity to match the growing number of smart devices,” commented Duncan Higgins, director of marketing at Virgin Media Business. “Birmingham is a prototype of the super-powered, connected city, which is not only offering free internet services to all, but also accelerating a revolution in the mobile broadband experience.”

The City Council says the network will boost connectivity, stimulate economic growth and provide social benefits to its residents.

“We’re delighted to be able to offer this unrivalled connectivity in some the best-loved spaces in the city, particularly as more visitors arrive in the coming weeks to enjoy the Frankfurt Christmas Market and other festive celebrations,” added Councillor James McKay, cabinet member for a green, safe and smart city, Birmingham City Council.

“This announcement builds on our connectivity plans for the city which aim to ensure that our citizens and businesses have access to the highest quality and affordable internet services, and establishes Birmingham as the best connected city in the UK.”

Free Birmingham Wi-Fi

Birmingham City Council has been interested in building a city-wide wireless network for some time, having invited potential suppliers to submit proposals way back in November 2011.

Its plans to build a superfast broadband network were thwarted last year after Virgin Media opposed the decision to award the Council £10 million in state funding, but it appears as though the two parties are more than capable of working together.

Virgin Media Business has agreed a similar deal with Leeds and Bradford as part of the government’s super-connected cities initiative, installing small cells on street furniture to add capacity for mobile operators, while providing locals with a free Wi-Fi network.

How much do you know about Wi-Fi? Try our quiz!

Steve McCaskill

Steve McCaskill is editor of TechWeekEurope and ChannelBiz. He joined as a reporter in 2011 and covers all areas of IT, with a particular interest in telecommunications, mobile and networking, along with sports technology.

Recent Posts

Is the Digital Transformation of Businesses Complete?

Digital transformation is an ongoing journey, requiring continuous adaptation, strong leadership, and skilled talent to…

6 hours ago

Craig Wright Faces Contempt Claim Over Bitcoin Lawsuit

Australian computer scientist faces contempt-of-court claim after suing Jack Dorsey's Block and Bitcoin Core developers…

7 hours ago

OpenAI Adds ChatGPT Search Features

OpenAI's ChatGPT gets search features, putting it in direct competition with Microsoft and Google, amidst…

7 hours ago

Google Maps Steers Into Local Information With AI Chat

New Google Maps allows users to ask for detailed information on local spots, adds AI-summarised…

8 hours ago

Huawei Sees Sales Surge, But Profits Fall

US-sanctioned Huawei sees sales surge in first three quarters of 2024 on domestic smartphone popularity,…

8 hours ago

Apple Posts China Sales Decline, Ramping Pressure On AI Strategy

Apple posts slight decline in China sales for fourth quarter, as Tim Cook negotiates to…

9 hours ago