Within five years, every major urban area in the UK will have wireless broadband, which will bring a massive boost for local authorities in tackling their transformation agendas, an international conference heard last week.
Jon Lane, director of BT’s wireless cities programme, told delegates from 107 European cities at the Wireless and Digital Cities event in France: ‘This market will happen – and it’s very compelling for local authorities.
‘It should be a strategic part of a council’s vision and needs a long-term commitment.’
Almost one-third of European local authorities aim to have wireless networks up and running by summer 2008, and a further 45% are developing plans, although almost half said funding was a problem, according to a survey by Imago and LastMile Communications.
Vertex digital cities director, Robert Blackwell, who oversaw Westminster City Council’s wireless cities programme, told delegates: ‘Wireless technology is now better positioned than ever before to aid cities to achieve much greater transformation goals.
‘This is is particularly important in a climate where municipal authorities are now being benchmarked against global performance rankings.’
Howard Williams, business development manager for Arqiva, added: ‘It is vital that local authorities seize the opportunities that wireless networks can provide to generate cost savings, create operational efficiencies and provide an enhanced environment for business growth and the cities’ citizens and visitors.’
Last week, Birmingham City Council and BT laid on a four-day celebration to mark its ‘BT wireless city’ status, launched by Aston Villa FC star, Luke Moore, in the first of a series of roadshows to publicise its programme.
The new network covers an area within the city centre, building on BT’s existing Openzone network. Other events will follow in Newcastle, Westminster and Liverpool.
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