The Cloud, the UKs largest provider of free public access wi-fi, has been awarded a five-year contract extension with the City of London to provide the Square Mile with free outdoor wi-fi access, complete with a comprehensive network upgrade and major technology refresh, quadrupling the wireless capacity. Wi-fi users in the Square Mile can enjoy 15 minutes of free connectivity every day. After the session expires, users are offered 24 hours access for £2.

The upgrade is designed to ensure that City workers, tourists and visitors within the Square Mile will experience better internet connectivity, with improved coverage, resilience and speed. It has been driven by the huge rise in demand for data-rich content on smartphones and tablets, combined with the increase in footfall within the Square Mile itself, with the area becoming increasingly popular as a location for shopping and eating out.

“Having a modern communications infrastructure is absolutely essential for the City of London to continue to flourish as the world’s leading financial centre,” says Peter Bennett, The City Surveyor at the City Corporation. “We have to keep ahead of the game. To date, we’ve been pleased with the service provided by The Cloud since its wi-fi network was first installed in 2007, so upgrading the network and extending our relationship with The Cloud was a swift decision to make.”  

Vince Russell, managing director of The Cloud, said: “The world’s leading financial centre deserves – indeed, demands – world-class wi-fi. This upgrade with the latest state of the art technology will ensure that the City of London has the best connectivity for people wanting to use the internet on the go.”