TPG Telecom to operate free Wi-Fi network in Adelaide
TPG Telecom will replace the existing public Wi-Fi network around Adelaide, providing free broadband around the city. The company will begin to deploy the network early next year and operate it on an initial five year contract.
Adelaide’s public Wi-Fi network was previously built and operated by Internode, which is now a sub-brand of TPG Telecom. Internode won the licence to provide the network back in 2013 and it has been operating throughout South Australia’s state capital since mid-2014.
The new deal secured by TPG Telecom is a $4.8 million contract that will see the company replace and operate the network over five years, adding 25% more access points to the freely-accessible network across the Adelaide CBD.
An announcement from TPG Telecom reads that the telco will “replace the current mix of mesh-wireless, fibre and copper-based technology with a full fibre optic network that will provide superior speed, coverage and reliability for the city’s inhabitants and visitors.”
The refreshed network will be jointly funded by the Australian Government and City of Adelaide, as part of $699 million ‘Adelaide City Deal’, a 10-year infrastructure agreement between federal, state and local governments.
TPG Telecom’s investment in the Adelaide free Wi-Fi network follows other efforts to diversify the company’s offerings outside of NBN plans. TPG recently tripled the reach of its 5G network as it looks to offer more services to its 2.2 million customers.
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