News

Research this year from IDC has indicated that wireless hotspots are set to expand rapidly across the whole of Europe. The analysts predict that there will be some 32,500 wireless hotspots Europe-wide by the end of 2007.

In the UK, the wireless evolution is rapidly taking hold. It seems that not a week goes by without one network provider or another announcing plans for new hotspots. BT has recently revealed plans to turn 200 traditional phone boxes into Wi-fi zones and the Government’s E-Commerce Minister, Stephen Timms, last month announced plans to roll out hotspots to all UK libraries.

Ordnance Survey has re-launched its Wi-fi hotspot locator service to cope with the expansion. Vertical Marketing Manager for wireless, Neil Wilkins, explained: "As more and more people see the benefit of hooking up to a wireless network and the number of sites where they can do this continues to spread, it is imperative that users have the very latest intelligence of where the hotspots are located in any given area. We have further developed the functionality of our Wi-fi map to include street level city zooms in areas of Wi-fi density."

For further information, contact Scott Sinclair, Chief Press Officer.

11-11-03