Photo: Gloucester-city-centre-Chris-Gunns
Gloucester aims to become best-connected city in the UK
13 August 2015
by Nick Michell
Work is underway on a project that aims to convert Gloucester into one of the best-connected cities in the UK. A new deal with BT (a British telecommunications services company), the first of its kind in the UK, will see the introduction of a free public wireless (Wi-Fi) service for tourists and people living and working in the city centre, a new state-of-the-art CCTV service and control room and improved mobile phone coverage for 4G and other new services.
“This is fantastic news for people visiting the city as well as local businesses, students and shoppers,” said Councillor Jennie Dallimore, Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods. “We really hope the project will help put Gloucester on the map. It’s great to work with BT on this unique project and we are really looking forward to when everything is up-and-running–just in time for the Rugby World Cup too.”
It’s also been confirmed that the new CCTV and Wi-Fi services will be up and running to coincide with the start of the Rugby World Cup in September, in which Gloucester is playing a role.
Once the planning and surveying work is complete, the partners will begin installing the wireless access points and 50 new high-definition CCTV cameras in the heart of the city centre and Gloucester Park. According to the city council, the investment will improve public safety and help people to stay in touch more easily as they shop, work and socialise in the city centre.
“Connecting people is at the heart of what we do, but this is the first time these three key elements–CCTV, Wi-Fi and enhanced mobile communications–have been developed in one project for one city by BT, at the same time,” said Paul Coles, BT’s Regional Manager for Gloucestershire and the South West. “It’s great to see Gloucester pioneering this approach, which we now hope to replicate in other towns and cities.”
Where possible, existing structures will be used to house the new equipment which will replace the current analogue CCTV network, now more than 15-years-old. BT says the new digital service will provide clearer images, enable security teams to zoom in on potential trouble spots and gather evidence with high quality images. Access to the Gloucester Wi-Fi service will be free and unlimited to all.
