Telstra is switching on the first 150 Wi-Fi hotspots in its national Wi-Fi network, with 1000 hotspots to go live before Christmas.
The telco announced that it was investing $100 million in the Wi-Fi network earlier this year and commencing today people will be able to trial free Wi-Fi at some of Australia’s busiest locations including Bourke Street Mall in Melbourne, Hyde Park in Sydney and King George Square in Brisbane.
Group executive Telstra retail Gordon Ballantyne said: “This trial marks the beginning of our ambition to switch on more than two million hotspots across the nation over five years and give customers the best Wi-Fi experience in and out of the home.
“We want customers to have greater options for connecting when they're out and about. From browsing the web, streaming videos or sharing photos with friends, we want customers to have a taste of what the network will be like next year, when Telstra Wi-Fi members will be able to use their home broadband allowance at the hotspots.
“Today we are also confirming the next hotspot locations set to go live ahead of Christmas, bringing the number of trial sites to 1000. We have selected towns, regional hubs and holiday destinations where we know people will be spending time this holiday season.”
Wi-Fi hotspots will be switched on in communities including Katherine in the north, Byron Bay in the east, Launceston in the south and Margaret River in the west.
The first Wi-Fi trials will be located at payphone sites in the heart of local communities in metro and regional areas as well as holiday hotspots, focusing on parts of the communities where people congregate and spend time. In future, Telstra-built hotspots will also be located at Telstra retail outlets and exchange buildings.
Access to Wi-Fi will be free at the 1000 trial sites before the network officially launches early next year.
For more on Telstra see below:
Telstra taps internet of things with public broadband network
Bundling is all the rage: Telstra plots ad burst from The Monkeys
Telstra ups investment in startups, launches Muru-D class two
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