Westminster to trial free single sign-on Wi-Fi across central London

In a move that will relieve those frustrated by connectivity hassles in the UK’s capital city, the Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) has announced the activation of a network being trialled by Westminster City Council and supported by the Mayor of London, enabling free public Wi-Fi connections with a single sign-on.

The key aim of the Connected London Wi-Fi service is to create a seamless roaming experience across the many disparate Wi-Fi networks in London, with the hopes of improving the visitor experience in London and tackling digital and technology inequality for Westminster residents through what the providers say will be the provision of easy-to-access and free internet connectivity.

In explaining the need for the service, the city council noted many of Westminster’s businesses, public spaces and cultural attractions already offer free Wi-Fi access, each requiring people to sign up and log in every time they connect.

Westminster City Council has been working with the WBA and wireless mobile connectivity provider Guglielmo to bring Connected London Wi-Fi to life.

Getting access to the Connected London Wi-Fi network involves scanning a QR code and installing a profile on your phone or tablet, without inputting any data at all. Once a user has installed the profile, the device will automatically securely connect to the WBA’s OpenRoaming network across Westminster and the globe. This is said to safeguard privacy as well as saving time and saving money.

Available at more than a million hotspots worldwide, OpenRoaming is said to have become the global standard that Wi-Fi network owners, service providers and others are adding to free users from the need to constantly re-register or re-enter log-in credentials – all while maintaining enterprise-grade security. OpenRoaming supporters include Agreefy, AT&T, Boingo, Charter, Cisco, CityRoam, Cloud4Wi, Comcast, Deutsche Telekom, GlobalReach, Google, Intel, Marriott, MiniMe Labs, SingleDigits and WeFi.

Connected London Wi-Fi will begin with a two-month trial at 50 locations across the city, including Strand Aldwych, street markets such as Berwick Street and Maida Hill Market, and also in libraries and community centres. If successful, efforts will be made to facilitate a London-wide expansion with other Wi-Fi network providers to roll it out across the capital. After the trial, further efforts will focus on a solution that moves away from using a QR code.

Commenting on the development, Geoff Barraclough, cabinet member for planning and economic development at Westminster City Council, said: “Every one of us has struggled to get high-speed mobile connections in central London, especially in busy areas such as Oxford Street and Covent Garden. That’s why so many people rely on using public space Wi-Fi, but this can be fiddly and difficult to log in to … Workers, tourists and Londoners will all benefit from easier connections to faster mobile broadband.

“Connected London Wi-Fi offers free, seamless internet connectivity for people moving around the city. With the continued support from the Mayor of London – and potentially other London boroughs – we hope to roll out this Wi-Fi network across the whole of London, and potentially beyond.”

Howard Dawber, deputy mayor of London for business and growth, added: “We want every Londoner and visitor to have the best experience possible – and our increasingly digital world means that’s much easier with a fast, reliable, seamless internet connection.

“Connected London Wi-Fi is a vital step forward in our work to improve digital access across the capital, which has seen a massive jump in gigabit connectivity to homes and businesses as we continue building a fairer and better London for everyone.”