Corporation says that small cell network will provide user speeds of up to 180Mbps and provide a footprint for 5G
The City of London Corporation has opened up its free Wi-Fi network with a claim that it will provide user speeds of 50-180Mbps.
The network has been installed as part of a 15-year contract with Cornerstone Technology Infrastructure Ltd (CTIL) and will be operated by O2. It was built within 28 weeks in partnership with Virgin Media, UK Power Networks and the City’s highways contractor, J B Riney & Co.
It follows the announcement of the contract with CITIL in April, and is one of the largest investments in wireless infrastructure seen in London. This has provided for the installation of a series of 4G ‘small cells’ housed on street furniture such as signs, lampposts and CCTV columns, and should also provide a footprint for the provision of 5G when it becomes available after 2020.
The service is available on one-time registration for users.
Catherine McGuinness, policy chair at the City of London Corporation, said: “As a global financial centre we provide services for a diverse range of City occupiers. With nearly 99% of City firms SMEs, 8% of the workforce from the technology, media and telecommunications industry, and a host of start-ups moving to the City, it is vital that our digital services match the fast-paced needs of our workers.
“We also welcomed over 10 million visitors from around the world to the City in 2015, and they too will be able to benefit from an investment sure to brand the City as hub of connectivity.”
Image by Michael Gwyther-Jones, CC BY 2.0 through flickr
