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WALES ROCKETS TO 170,000 BT WI-FI HOT SPOTS
Milestone includes nearly 12,000 in Cardiff
Wi-Fi users in Wales can now take advantage of nearly 170,000 Wi-fi hotspots – nearly three times the number that existed less than two years ago, BT announced today.
Now the largest network in the UK there are more than three million BT Wi-Fi hotspots available in homes, independent businesses and city centres. The 170,000 Wales hotspots include nearly 12,000 in Cardiff including Central Square, Queens Street and St Mary's Street.
Access to this network is free to over five million BT Broadband customers, plus users of iPads, iPhones, iTouch, Android, Samsung and Blackberry devices and smartphones through other BT partnership agreements.
BT's rapid hotspot growth mirrors the rise in the use of smartphones which are quickly catching up with laptops and PCs around the world as the consumer's Wi-Fi device of choice *.
Ann Beynon, BT director for Wales, said: "BT is already leading the charge in broadband services with the roll out of faster speeds across Wales and the rapid growth of Wi-Fi hot-spots increases the ways consumers and businesses can get online.
"This is fantastic news for Wales and another example of major investment by BT in the country's communications network. This huge growth in the number of hotspots takes flexible working from the home to wherever you need to be and brings the internet right to your fingertips.
"Consumers are using their devices for both work and leisure with hotspots making it possible to shop, game and enjoy a variety of applications when out and about."
"For small businesses in Wales Wi-Fi is a great low or no-cost way of working remotely, staying in touch with customers, suppliers and staff and accessing real time travel information quickly, from any wireless PC, tablet or smartphone."
"David Russ, managing director South Wales Chamber of Commerce, said: "Public Wi-Fi provides crucial support for Wales's small businesses. The hotspot coverage announced today is a positive growth enabler for these firms."
Earlier this year BT announced a new free mobile application that helps connect BT home broadband customers with an iPad to its network of hotspots. It gives BT home broadband customers easy mobile access to free and unlimited Wi-Fi and includes a mapping service which is updated weekly so that customers can find their nearest hotspot. See www.bt.com/wifi/onthego for ways to get online.