A free public Wi-Fi system is set to be rolled out to more than 150 access points across Dublin city, after successful trials at Bernardo Square, Dame Street and the City Council’s amphitheater.
The Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) OpenRoaming system allows users to log in only once and then maintain seamless connectivity as their smartphones, tablets and other Wi-Fi devices automatically switch between different public Wi-Fi hotspots.
According to the WBA, the success of the trial will pave the way for a larger city-wide deployment.
This indicates a key milestone toward achieving Dublin City Council’s “Smart Cities” goals, which includes providing communities, residents and businesses with seamless access to services online and Giving tourists and other visitors free, secure, high-performance Wi-Fi access.
Speaking about the initiative, Tiago Rodrigues, CEO of the WBA said: “Wi-Fi is the foundation for smart cities. This successful proof-of-concept trial shows that the city of Dublin and its residents, businesses and visitors all can depend on the WBA OpenRoaming standard to ensure that they always have convenient access to seamless, secure, carrier-grade Wi-Fi connectivity.”
The service has already been rolled out to over a million hotspots worldwide.
Aidan Darcy, vice president of business and wholesale at Virgin Media Ireland said: “It’s fantastic to be working with Dublin City Council on such an important initiative”.
“Given the fact that we are the official provider of both the Wi-Fi and broadband infrastructure, we are able to offer cutting-edge broadband speeds and an exceptional Wi-Fi experience for residents and tourists availing of the new Dublin city Wi-Fi zones.”
The announcement comes on World Wi-Fi Day, an initiative of the WBA to “recognize and celebrate the significant role Wi-Fi is playing in getting cities and communities around the world connected.”
