People visiting the centre of Faringdon can now take advantage of free public Wi-Fi.
The new service is available in the Market Place for people to browse the internet while visiting the regular markets, doing their shopping, travelling to work or sitting in the Market Place.
The free Wi-Fi will allow people to get online quickly to find out information about local services, attractions and locations; meaning that they may explore more of the town, spend more time in the town centre, or are simply able to respond to urgent work inquiries while having lunch in the town centre.
The first time you use the service, you need to sign in to agree to the terms and conditions that are there to protect users – you can sign in via Facebook, Twitter or simply give your email address on an on-line form. The system will then recognise your IP address and you do not need to sign in for subsequent visits.
The scheme is being provided by the Vale of White Horse District Council through provider STL Communications. The Wi-Fi equipment is hosted by Faringdon Town Council and Marriotts estate agent. The scheme has been supported by Faringdon Chamber of Commerce as town centre businesses do not presently have access to superfast broadband. The WiFi service will provide speeds of up to 14Mbps, which is faster than speeds currently available within the town, although it is not superfast.
Cllr Matthew Barber, Leader of the Vale, said: “The free public Wi-Fi will offer residents and visitors a quick way of finding information about Faringdon. We hope people will make the most of the new service to discover what’s happening in the local area and hopefully spend more time in the town centre.”