Nokia Pulls Out Of Free London Wi-Fi Project

Nokia has  pulled out of a plan to offer free Wi-Fi using London phone boxes as hotspots. Its two partners plan to continue the scheme.

The trial cheme, launched in November, supports any Internet device – not just Nokia phones. Spectrum Interactive and Selective Media, will continue the project, supported by an online voucher system.

The show must go on

The project currently has 26 locations in London to evaluate trends and assess demand. The trial was available to any Internet-connected device, not just those manufactured by Nokia, with hotspots locatable on Nokia Maps and having a range of 50-100 metres.

Users only had to register for the service once, with devices automatically connecting to any other Nokia hotspot automatically. This will now change with the introduction of the online voucher system which will require customers to click on a deal in order to receive the free service. Spectrum Interactive intends to make its entire network of 1,800 phone boxes in London wireless hotspots, while Selective Media will continue to provide location-based advertising.

Selective Media’s Chris Bull told Mobile Europe that Nokia only sponsored the free hotspots as part of the marketing push for its Lumia Windows Phones and that the company was now opening up advertising opportunities to other companies.

The Nokia trial is but one of a number of free Wi-Fi offers that have been rolled out recently. O2 recently signed a five year deal to provide free Wi-Fi to UK branches of McDonalds, while BT announced last year that it was going to provide wireless Internet to some London pubs. London’s public transport network has also received some attention, with The Cloud and Virgin Media winning contracts for the London Overground and Underground respectively.

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