Birmingham is set to become the UK’s first wireless cities, after signing an agreement with BT for the creation of a street-based wi-fi network.
The invisible wireless network will cover one square mile of Birmingham city centre, enabling people to communicate from laptops and wi-fi- enabled mobile devices, wherever they are.
The formal agreement is part of BT’s Wireless Cities initiative, which will see Birmingham leading the way in early 2007, followed by Edinburgh, Liverpool, Leeds, Cardiff, Westminster and Newcastle – which signed up to the scheme this month – in the first phase of the programme.
The agreement forms part of the Digital Birmingham initiative, shared between the council and other public and private organisations.
BT will fund the city centre network and the council will provide access to its street lampposts in order to create the essential infrastructure.
From early next year, the council will also use the wi-fi network to pilot a range of initiatives aimed at improving a range of public services. These could include mobile office devices for Birmingham street wardens, and wireless CCTV, which will be used for city centre management, security and parking devices.
Cllr Paul Tilsley, deputy leader of the council, said: ‘The project offers endless possibilities – not least of which is to enable us to deliver our services in a creative and innovative way.’
‘Many cities have plans to implement such wireless networks, but this agreement shows we are serious about competing on a national and international stage when it comes to establishing the technological facilities that today’s world requires.’