(23 Apr 2007) HEADLINE: London becomes Europe's biggest wi-fi hotspot
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CAPTION: A wi-fi network covering the City of London goes live Monday, making the financial district the largest wireless hotspot in Europe. (April 23)
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[Notes:ANCHOR VOICE]
(Tilt up shot to London hi-rise skyline)
The City of London, one of the world's foremost financial districts, is now Europe's biggest wi-fi "hotzone."
(Various of black wi-fi devices on lampposts)
Devices like these are on 127 lampposts and signposts all over the district, enabling wireless Internet access in every public area.
Wireless provider The Cloud worked with the city to install the network over the past year.
(SOT -- Niall Murphy, Co-Founder, The Cloud)
"It's contiguously covered, which is unprecedented. It means a continuous signal right across the whole city."
(Man on cell phone; city workers in park)
This isn't just a hotspot -- it's a network of hotspots, forming one big wi-fi zone.
(STANDUP -- Melissa Gray, London -- FYI, I sit on park bench and open up laptop as I speak)
"This means wherever people are -- in a park like this, or on the street -- they can open up their laptops and log onto the Internet, just like that. It covers the entire square mile of the City of London, the city's financial district, and even extends partway into some buildings."
(Closeup of man using wireless PDA; shot of busy sidewalk packed with office workers)
It's not free -- it costs about 24 dollars for unlimited monthly service, or about 10 dollars for the odd hour here or there. But city planners who came up with the idea say the city is growing and becoming more international, and people now need information on the move.
(SOT -- Peter Bennett, Deputy City Surveyor)
"People are 'hotdesking.' They're moving around. They're wanting communcation both as they walk or in taxis."
(Closeup of City of London sign)
So London's financial district is now wireless.
(Red phone booth with bicycles and map of area)
Scenes like this, with the iconic red phone booth, may not be around for much longer.
Melissa Gray, the Associated Press, London.
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