BT brings advanced wireless broadband services to customers in 12 UK cities
BT today announced that it has hit its target and now has 12 Wireless City networks up and running across the UK. They will offer a range of new services for consumers, businesses and local authority workers.
The company set a target to have a first phase of 12 Wireless Cities working by the end of March 2007 and it has been achieved as customers have enthusiastically embraced the power of wireless broadband.
BT today named five new Wireless City deployments. They are: Sheffield, Nottingham, Portsmouth, Bristol, and Glasgow. They join Birmingham, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Leeds, Liverpool, Cardiff and Westminster, which were named last year.
The networks provide wire-free, high-speed broadband coverage which can be used for easy access to information and services in city centre locations.
The 12 Wireless Cities mean that local authorities, businesses and citizens will benefit from a greatly increased availability of wireless broadband, which will bring major benefits. Not only can customers benefit from access to all the broadband services normally available at home or in the office, but local authorities can work with BT to develop new mobile services for citizens, increase productivity for their own mobile workers and even provide information, such as available parking spaces and cinema listings.
Steve Andrews, BT chief, Mobility and Convergence, said: "We are delighted that we have met our ambitious target early, but this is just the beginning. Other networks are already being built. Many local authorities are keen to pursue the real benefits to the council, businesses and citizens that a large wireless broadband network can bring.
"As more and more devices are enabled for Wi-Fi, including our own BT Fusion mobile service, the benefits to customers become clear.
"A number of local authorities are already showing they can improve productivity for their mobile workers, like environmental health officers, who would be able to take action quickly and efficiently away from the office.
"Across the UK, almost every major city will have a large area covered by BT Openzone wireless broadband access points, which means customers can do anything, anytime, anywhere. And BT is committed to working with local authorities to develop the applications that run over the network, so that councils, businesses and citizens can really benefit from the network and will really use it."For more information:
Inquiries about this news release should be made to the BT Group Newsroom on its 24-hour number: 020 7356 5369. From outside the UK dial + 44 20 7356 5369. All news releases can be accessed at our web site: http://www.bt.com/newscentre.
About BT
BT is one of the world’s leading providers of communications solutions and services operating in 170 countries. Its principal activities include networked IT services, local, national and international telecommunications services, and higher-value broadband and internet products and services. BT consists principally of four lines of business: BT Global Services, Openreach, BT Retail and BT Wholesale.
In the year ended March 31, 2006, BT Group plc’s revenue was £19,514 million with profit before taxation of £2,040 million.
British Telecommunications plc (BT) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BT Group and encompasses virtually all businesses and assets of the BT Group. BT Group plc is listed on stock exchanges in London and New York.
For more information, visit www.bt.com/aboutbt