O2 to bring 'Europe's biggest' free Wi-Fi zone to London

O2 has announced plans to launch Europe's largest free Wi-Fi zone in London.

The mobile operator will introduce the service, powered by hardware installed on street furniture, in the boroughs of Westminster, and Kensington and Chelsea later this year.

O2 says that the deal will help residents and visitors in the UK capital "make the most of what London has to offer" without additional expense to taxpayers.

"This ground-breaking deal... will see us deliver high-quality connectivity across London in time for London 2012," said Derek McManus, chief operating officer for O2.

"Our longer-term aim is to expand our footprint of O2 Wi-Fi, which is open to everyone, and also intelligently enhance our services at street level, where people need the network the most."

O2 will begin installing the technology in Westminster this month. The service will initially be available in selected areas before going live across both boroughs.

London's service, expected to be fully operational by March, will help the UK capital compete with other major cities such as Paris and New York, where free Wi-Fi for residents and visitors is available in various public spaces.

Last year, Nokia launched a similar scheme to bring free public Wi-Fi to London on a trial basis.

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