Cities around the world are deciding en masse that free public Wi-Fi for their citizens is a very good idea. The latest city to make this particular decision is the Australian city of Melbourne. The City Council announced late last week that they are set to launch a trial of free public Wi-Fi in the very near future. While this is good news for Melbourne residents, the announcement underlines how quickly a big city can get behind the times.
Cities like Austin, Texas and New York City have been rolling out free Wi-Fi to their citizens over the last few months on a pretty steady basis. Most city councils and administrators understand that these offerings can have a lasting effect in a number of different ways. With the sheer number of people who are connected these days, more people are likely to visit a city that offers free public Wi-Fi.
Tourism is only one of the reasons why cities are making the move to offering free Wi-Fi. Cities that are offering free Internet access to everyone are also looked to as cities that are advancing innovation. New companies might be more apt to set up a branch location in a place that allows people to get online wherever they go.
In Melbourne’s case, the city is still working out the details of their trial. The city has not decided exactly when the rollout would begin, but mayor Robert Doyle wants it to happen as soon as possible. ''This is not something I want to sit on,'' Doyle told the Brisbane Times. Doyle also couldn’t say exactly where the rollout would take place.
The city council has said that it does not want to try this public Wi-Fi network in an area that already has good coverage. Free wireless Internet is already offered in Federation Square, Flinders Street Station and more than 250 businesses across Melbourne.
The city council is clearly aware that it is competing with other Australian cities for businesses and tourists. Perth is getting set to launch its own Wi-Fi network next month. When that launch goes live, it will allow nearly the entire city to be covered.
Edited by Rory J. Thompson