More than 500,000 people have signed up for free public WiFi in Edinburgh since its launch a year ago, representing user growth of nearly 1,370 people per day. The IntechnologyWiFi deployment in December 2016 created one of Britain’s largest wireless networks in the Scottish capital. The network is central to the City of Edinburgh Council’s plans for growing the city economy and encouraging residents and visitors to stay longer and increase their spending.

Demographic analysis of the user base shows that 15-24 year-olds make up the largest group with more than 196,000 registrations, with millennials aged 25-34 forming the next largest group with nearly 140,000 registrations. These findings highlight the appeal of Edinburgh to young people, as highlighted by the MoveHub report which identified the city as the best place in the world for Millennials. The study also reveals that cosmopolitans, inner city students and commuters are by far the most common users.

Cllr Gavin Barrie, Housing and Economy Convener at the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “It is great news that so many residents and visitors are benefitting from free WiFi while they are out and about in Edinburgh. “This project is central to our plans for growing the city’s economy and encouraging residents and visitors to stay longer and increase their spend.”

IntechnologyWiFi has installed access points at key locations across the city centre to provide ubiquitous connectivity to users. We have now extended our network to include Edinburgh Castle, one of the most famous landmarks in the world, meaning visitors can enjoy fast and reliable internet access on the esplanade outside the historic fortress. Further details on how to log-on and a coverage map can be found at www.edinburghfreewifi.com.

We are proud to be Edinburgh’s digital partner, and prouder still of the exponential user growth we have seen over the past year, which demonstrates the strong consumer demand and expectation for fast and reliable connectivity in Edinburgh. The free public WiFi is one of the many assets that makes the city so attractive to visitors from across over the world, particularly young Millennials. We are investing to make sure that everyone has the best possible digital experience of this magical city. And we are providing the digital infrastructure for innovators to come up with clever new applications for managing the city’s resources in a more productive way.