Manchester plans UK's biggest citywide wi-fi network

Manchester City Council has unveiled plans for a free citywide wi-fi network which will cover 90 per cent of the Greater Manchester area.

The council hopes the broadband wireless network will eventually cover an area of up to 400 square miles and give internet access to 2.2 million people.

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The Mancunian wi-fi initiative is inspired by programmes in San Francisco and Amsterdam, which provide free internet access across the city centres.

Dave Carter, head of the Manchester digital development agency, told silicon.com the wi-fi network would help small businesses and citizens gain access to online information.

Carter said the UK is lagging behind other countries in providing speedy internet access to citizens and in many instances people are still relying on infrastructure from the 19th century.

The wi-fi network could offer speeds of up to 10Mbps but 256kps would more be realistic while people are using services such as internet telephony, Carter added.

The proposal is part of the Manchester council's bid for the nationwide Digital Challenge which will award a prize of £7m to the council which best shows how it's using IT to improve community interaction.