Widespread WiFi

Europe to spend £120million to ensure that every European village and every city is with free wireless Internet access by 2020.

17:32 07 June 2017

The European Parliament, Council and Commission has given the £120-million in-El Reg's-view-inexplicable WiFi4EU project the go-signal to provide free wireless Internet access to every European village and city by 2020.

 

The project will provide “6,000 to 8,000 municipalities” the chance to participate in a “simple and non-bureaucratic process” that will see them handed the cash needed to buy, install and maintain Wi-Fi kit for three years. It is also set to bring WiFi to “parks, squares, libraries, public buildings to benefit citizens and institutions with a public mission.”

 

Details about the funding of the project were not readily available. But it is understood that the grants under the scheme will only be made in “areas where a similar public or private offer does not yet exist.”

 

The project is part of Europe’s telecoms reforms that aim to make customers’ experiences the same across the Union.