Adelaide to get free Wi-Fi
Adelaide is set to become Australia's first capital to offer free Wi-Fi outdoors in the city centre.
The South Australian government and Adelaide City Council plan to provide free internet coverage in public areas such as Rundle Mall, Victoria Square, and the Riverbank precinct by the end of next year.
The city service would help workers, shoppers, students, restaurant goers, tourists, and everyone who needs information on the go, Premier Jay Weatherill said on Wednesday.
A feasibility study has already been undertaken and proposals are being sought from IT businesses to develop and operate the project.
Similar public Wi-Fi initiatives have been successfully introduced in Prague, Singapore, Chattanooga, Wellington, Auckland, and Luxembourg, Weatherill said.
The South Australian government is already running a 12-month trial of free Wi-Fi on all Adelaide Metro trams and 20 buses.
The state government will contribute AU$1 million and Adelaide City Council AU$500,000.
Adelaide already has an extensive number of free Wi-Fi hotspots provided by Adelaide-based iiNet subsidiary Internode.
Queensland Rail launched free Wi-Fi on its services in August, and in signing a AU$207 million deal with Victorian rail company V/Line, Bombardier said that the new carriages it will be supplying could be equipped with Wi-Fi connectivity when it is launched in 2016.
AAPT has also been trialling a number of free Wi-Fi hotspots around Sydney.