Boris pledges a wifi London by 2012
Boris Johnson today pledged to made London the world's biggest internet
hotspot by 2012.
Speaking at a Google event, he claimed that 'every lamp post, every bus stop', in the capital will offer wireless internet access by the time the Olympic Games opens.
The Mayor said the plans were part of a major effort by City Hall to make London the technology capital of the world.
"Tim Berners-Lee, who invented the internet, was born in London, so we claim paternity of the internet," he told 400 of the world's business leaders at Google's Zeitgeist event in Hertfordshire.
"London is the home of technological innovation. We in City Hall are doing our best to keep up, and one of our most important projects is called Wifi London.
"Every lampost and every bus stop will one day very soon, and before the 2012 Olympics, be wifi enabled."
The scheme is expected to work by installing thousands of 'hotspots' into street lights and bus stops. The boxes would use the existing electrical supply and wiring, and would be able to cover a small distance around the area with wifi.
By installing thousands of them, the Mayor plans to blanket the entire capital with wifi. 22 Boroughs have already signed up to the scheme.
A similar scheme already exists in the City of London, which offers users internet access anywhere.
The plan is expected to allow both commuters and local homes to access the internet, although no details of pricing have been given.
The Mayor also revealed more details of a plan to release city hall data online, allowing other people to use it.
"We are doing everything we can to promote technology in London, including putting all the information we have into the public domain," he said.
The Mayor singled out an iPhone app which will show locations of cycles for the capital's bike hire scheme as an example of how this data could be used.
"For instance, some bright spark has come up with an iPhone app for our bike hire scheme. Not only can you see where the bikes are, but you will also be able to tell how bikes the local yobbos have left there."
He also claimed that Google has had a major impact on all Londoners.
"It's thanks to Google that all of us sentient adults spend so much of lives grazing absently like ruminants on this vast serengeti of information."
Speaking at a Google event, he claimed that 'every lamp post, every bus stop', in the capital will offer wireless internet access by the time the Olympic Games opens.
The Mayor said the plans were part of a major effort by City Hall to make London the technology capital of the world.
"Tim Berners-Lee, who invented the internet, was born in London, so we claim paternity of the internet," he told 400 of the world's business leaders at Google's Zeitgeist event in Hertfordshire.
"London is the home of technological innovation. We in City Hall are doing our best to keep up, and one of our most important projects is called Wifi London.
"Every lampost and every bus stop will one day very soon, and before the 2012 Olympics, be wifi enabled."
The scheme is expected to work by installing thousands of 'hotspots' into street lights and bus stops. The boxes would use the existing electrical supply and wiring, and would be able to cover a small distance around the area with wifi.
By installing thousands of them, the Mayor plans to blanket the entire capital with wifi. 22 Boroughs have already signed up to the scheme.
A similar scheme already exists in the City of London, which offers users internet access anywhere.
The plan is expected to allow both commuters and local homes to access the internet, although no details of pricing have been given.
The Mayor also revealed more details of a plan to release city hall data online, allowing other people to use it.
"We are doing everything we can to promote technology in London, including putting all the information we have into the public domain," he said.
The Mayor singled out an iPhone app which will show locations of cycles for the capital's bike hire scheme as an example of how this data could be used.
"For instance, some bright spark has come up with an iPhone app for our bike hire scheme. Not only can you see where the bikes are, but you will also be able to tell how bikes the local yobbos have left there."
He also claimed that Google has had a major impact on all Londoners.
"It's thanks to Google that all of us sentient adults spend so much of lives grazing absently like ruminants on this vast serengeti of information."
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