IntechnologyWiFi will shortly be switching on a new public WiFi network to connect residents, visitors, and businesses in Watford at no cost to taxpayers.

We have completed the core phase of our roll-out of free open WiFi across Watford town centre. This latest deployment will connect users from the town hall, down the Parade and High Street areas. A further phase, to extend coverage across the town centre still further, is in planning.

Accompanying the launch, intechnologyWiFi has launched a microsite detailing the service, with a log-on guide and coverage map, as well as Frequently Asked Questions, available for download.

The free open WiFi network will provide seamless connectivity for users without time or bandwidth limitations. The smooth, high-speed internet also strengthens digital inclusion in Watford, with this latest deployment building on the first phase of the WiFi delivery in Watford, connecting community hubs and sheltered housing schemes. This formed a key part of Watford Community Housing Trust’s (WCHT’s) social inclusion mission, as it acted to meet the demands of its residents – 80 per cent of whom had been calling for more services online.

The network also bolsters the town in its future transition to become a ‘smart’ town, with the potential to benefit from the growing Internet of Things (IoT) industry. Recent research has cited that the Internet of Things will be the largest device market in the world by 2019, with estimations that it will be more than twice the size of the smartphone, PC, tablet, connected car, and wearable market combined. As such, the new robust WiFi network in Watford could enable the council to make smart investments to better manage its urban ecosystem in the future (e.g. local traffic, public transport, utilities and education).

Because intechnologyWiFi owns all of its hardware and software – and possesses the in-house expertise required to design, install and maintain a public WiFi network from conception to completion – it is able to provide this technology at no cost to the council or its users.

Watford’s elected mayor, Baroness Dorothy Thornhill said: “Having WiFi in the town centre has long been an ambition of mine, so I am really pleased that its now available. This is another step in our aim of making the town centre a must-visit destination for all the family”.

We are delighted to be a key partner in Watford’s digital transformation. The council’s understanding of the benefits of equipping Watford’s residents, visitors and businesses alike with the latest WiFi technology has enabled it to become a digital leader and a beacon for other councils hoping to reinvigorate their local economies and battle digital exclusion.

To find out more about the Watford Official Free WiFi service, visit – www.watfordfreewifi.com

Natalie Duffield, CEO of IntechnologyWifi, commented, “We hope that the whole community will thoroughly feel the benefits of Watford’s new connectivity, whether it is used by residents to access local news and information, visitors discovering the local area, or businesses to better promote their goods and services. Beyond the opportunities for individuals, with public WiFi supporting them in achieving seamless connectivity, Watford Borough Council are now in a great position to harness the innumerable benefits of smart city initiatives, whether that’s improving safety and the environment, or managing traffic effectively.”