BT is deploying a Wi-Fi network in Belfast, Ireland that will provide Internet access in the city center. Belfast becomes the latest city to join BT’s Wireless City programme.BT is deploying a Wi-Fi network in Belfast, Ireland that will provide Internet access in the city center. Belfast becomes the latest city to join BT’s Wireless City programme, which includes Birmingham, Newcastle and Liverpool.
Subscribers to BT’s Openzone service can access the Internet in any of the cities where Openzone has a network.
People often ask me if there are more citywide Wi-Fi networks in Europe. Actually the US is the world leader in municipal wireless networks. European cities are lagging behind because EU regulations make it difficult for them to use public funds for these projects and many are focused on fiber deployments (which are great but you’re still stuck at your desk). In addition, deployments of Wi-Fi using mesh are more expensive in Europe because ETSI regulations require the mesh nodes to emit far less power than in the US. So you need to install more nodes in a European project.
Whether the EU will do anything about this is a big question. ETSI power regulations for Wi-Fi mesh nodes significantly increase the cost of large Wi-Fi deployments and constitute a barrier even for private companies. These barriers only serve to entrench the incumbent landline and mobile operators more. I wish the EU would look into this issue sooner rather than later.
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