By David MacLean and Samson Dada
Friday 24 June 2011
Free wireless internet could be made available for shoppers and tourists.
Leicester City Council is looking at whether to introduce wi-fi internet access in public areas across the city centre, which anyone could connect to using laptops and smartphones.
If that is a success, it could be rolled out across the city and into parts of the county.
Jill Craig, director of information and support at Leicester City Council, said: “This is a very exciting development.
“We will be looking to meet with other councils to learn from their experiences in delivering free wi-fi in public spaces.
“We have already begun work on the development of two wi-fi pilots for public access, in New Walk Museum and the central library.”
Leicester would be following in the footsteps of cities such as Barcelona, New Orleans and San Francisco.
London Mayor Boris Johnson has promised to have a free wi-fi network in place in the capital in time for next year’s Olympics.
Leicester mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said: “We’re still in the early stages. Initially, it will be focused on the city centre but if it is a success then it could be expanded across the city.
“It would be convenient for shoppers and visitors.”
The city council said it was too early to say how much the scheme would cost.
It is not known yet how fast the network would be, but many city networks around the world offer speeds of up to five megabits per second – similar to a lower-end home network.
Some cities have provided tiered access, with slower speeds free and faster connection available for a fee.
Student Hani Alquhayz, 27, who lives in the city centre, said: “Having wi-fi in Leicester city centre would be great.
“I have a contract with Vodafone but it would be great to have free wi-fi out and about.”
Teresa Martin, 26, of Highfields, Leicester, said: “Introducing wi-fi in the city centre would be a great idea because everyone uses the internet.
“Wi-fi is available in some cities, so it should really be extended to more cities, such as Leicester.”
Leicestershire County Council said it would look to work with the city council on the scheme.
A spokesman said: “We are keen to explore how businesses and communities in Leicestershire could be supported by such networks.”
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