Birmingham goes wireless

Birmingham city centre in the UK has signed an agreement with BT for the creation of a street-based wireless network.

The network, which forms part of Digital Birmingham’s aim to make Birmingham a “European digital city” by 2010, will be funded by BT and will use the city’s lamp posts to create the infrastructure.

From the spring of 2007, users with laptops, mobile phones, PDAs and any devices using wifi will be able to access information and services from Birmingham City Council free of charge through an internet portal. Users will also be able to access the open internet via a subscription or voucher for BT Openzone.

The network will cover a square mile area including the ICC, NIA, Brindleyplace, Broad Street, Jewellery Quarter, Eastside, Millennium Point, Digbeth, Aston Science Park and the main retail areas.