Vtesse News

Hertford. 11th March 2010

Citizens and Visitors to benefit from new “broadband everywhere” WiFi service

Vtesse, the UK’s leading provider of advanced national fibre optic networking services, today announces its intent to deploy a pilot wireless internet service in Hertford town centre in the Spring.

Covering the town centre area, the service will provide broadband internet access to those with mobile wireless devices, including Blackberry’s, iPhones, smartphones, netbooks and notebook computers.

Better still, for the pilot period, 100 users  will receive service at no charge.

The wireless service will considerably enhance the mobile user’s internet experience as they negotiate the busy high street and its adjoining shops and premises.

The popularity of mobile internet devices has soared in recent months as a new wave of intelligent devices hit the shops. However, the mobile broadband internet experience has been disappointing for many as demand for internet over the airwaves has overloaded many 3G mobile networks resulting in slow and unpredictable service.

In Hertford at least, the mobile internet users experience will be "as good as it gets" as users within Vtesse service zones will connect through Vtesse wireless hotspots directly onto Vtesse’s national fibre optic network, guaranteeing the best possible experience.

Local firm Vtesse are piloting the innovative service to assess just how much demand there is for such services and if it is as high as pundits predict, the service will be rolled out to wider areas.

Commenting, Aidan Paul, Chief Executive of Vtesse said “We are really pleased to be able to pilot this new service in our home town. Giving our business people, citizens and visitors to the town such an edge puts Hertford right at the very forefront of the rapidly developing mobile internet world – which – frankly – is precisely where we should be!”

Pricing for the final service has yet to be defined and will be designed to support the usage patterns established during the pilot.

Users interested in joining the pilot service should email hertfordshire@vtesse.com in the first instance outlining how wireless broadband in the town centre would help them better achieve their personal and business goals. The best 100 applications will be invited to use the service without charge for the period of the pilot.

….ends

Notes to editors:

1. Whilst WiFi “hotspots” are commonplace in hotels, pubs and coffee shops, there are very few towns in the UK where the whole of the town centre area has been enabled. Probably less than 10.

2. Subject to the capabilities of individual mobile devices, download and upload speeds of up to 10Mb will be possible.

3. WiFi access points will be mounted high on lamp posts to offer the widest possible coverage areas.