Guglielmo wins the bid for managing London’s Wi-Fi network
Anyone living and working in Westminster, or visiting the city, will be able to enjoy seamless free public WiFi with a single sign-on, thanks to a new network being trialled by Westminster City Council and supported by the Mayor of London.
Connected London WiFi is a new service that is looking to create a seamless roaming experience across the many disparate WiFi networks in London, with the hopes of improving the visitor experience in London and tackling digital and technology inequality for Westminster residents through the provision of easy-to-access and free internet connectivity.
Many of Westminster’s businesses, public spaces and cultural attractions already offer free WiFi access, each requiring people to sign up and log in every time they connect.
It is quick and easy to access Connected London Wi-Fi by scanning a QR code and following the instructions to install a profile on your phone or tablet, without inputting any data at all. Once someone has installed the profile, the device will automatically connect securely to the OpenRoaming™ network across Westminster and the globe, safeguarding privacy as well as saving time and saving money.
Connected London WiFi begins with a two-month trial at 50 locations across the city, including Strand Aldwych, street markets such as Berwick Street and Maida Hill Market, and also in libraries and community centres.
The Council has been working with Guglielmo and the Wireless Broadband Alliance to bring Connected London WiFi to life. If successful, efforts will be made to facilitate a London-wide expansion with other WiFi network providers to roll this out across the capital. After the trial, further efforts will focus on a solution that moves away from using a QR code.
Cllr Geoff Barraclough, Cabinet Member for Planning and Economic Development at Westminster City Council, said::
“Every one of us has struggled to get high-speed mobile connections in central London, especially in busy areas such as Oxford Street and Covent Garden. That’s why so many people rely on using public space WiFi but this can be fiddly and difficult to log in to.
“Westminster Council is proud to be the first Council in the UK to launch a single sign-on WiFi network spanning multiple operators. Workers, tourists and Londoners will all benefit from easier connections to faster mobile broadband.
“Connected London WiFi offers free, seamless internet connectivity for people moving around the city. With the continued support from the Mayor of London – and potentially other London boroughs – we hope to roll out this WiFi network across the whole of London, and potentially beyond.”
Howard Dawber, Deputy Mayor of London for Business and Growth, said:
“We want every Londoner and visitor to have the best experience possible – and our increasingly digital world means that’s much easier with a fast, reliable, seamless internet connection. Connected London WiFi is a vital step forward in our work to improve digital access across the capital, which has seen a massive jump in gigabit connectivity to homes and businesses, as we continue building a fairer and better London for everyone.”
Giovanni Guerri, CEO at wireless technology provider Guglielmo, said:
“We are extremely honoured and excited to have participated in such an innovative project that opens new perspectives for public WiFi in terms of user experience and security. We sincerely thank the Westminster City Council for the trust placed in our team and for the wonderful professional experience.”
Tiago Rodrigues, CEO at Wireless Broadband Alliance, said:
“The OpenRoaming deployment in Westminster represents a critical step toward digital inclusion, providing free, secure WiFi that breaks down connectivity barriers for residents, businesses and visitors who may otherwise struggle to access essential online services. By creating an automatic login-free network across key locations, Westminster is not just enhancing digital infrastructure but actively working to close the digital divide ensuring that connectivity is a right, not a privilege.”
- Access our free OpenRoaming Network | Westminster City Council
- There are more than 3 million hotspots across the globe with OpenRoaming™, according to Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA).
- Mayoral funding to support his Connected London programme.
- Guglielmo is a leading technology provider in Italy, dealing mainly with the management of wireless access on a geographical scale and counts +30,000,000 registered users all across Europe. The company is focusing on the design and development of original hardware and software solutions and its name is an explicit tribute to Guglielmo Marconi, father of telecommunications and inventor of radio waves.
Data and Security
- The WiFi credential is anonymised and is not linked to any personal identifiable information that could be used to track an individuals movements
- OpenRoaming™ is a more secure way of authenticating with public WiFi networks, as it reduces the risk of connecting to spoof networks created by malicious actors
- The WBA OpenRoaming™ standard itself is secure, and has undergone and passed a threat mapping exercise by Westminster City Council
- Downloading our Westminster profile will enable users to automatically connect to any OpenRoaming™ enabled network. Westminster does not take responsibility for the security of these wider networks in the federation. The user accepts the risk of connecting to these networks as part of the terms and conditions, when downloading the profile.