BT considering public Wi-Fi network for London Olympics

BT is negotiating with the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG) about the possibility of delivering a public Wi-Fi network that will cover the Olympic Park during the 2012 games.

The company has no official remit to provide Wi-Fi for the games, but a network would provide better internet access to those attending the games and help ease the burden on mobile operators.

"We are currently talking with LOCOG and internally at BT about the possibility of setting up a Wi-Fi network, and expect to reach a decision in the next three or four months," said Stuart Hill, BT's vice president and director for the London 2012 Games.

"The rise in the amount of data being consumed by mobile users since the Beijing Games in 2008 means that mobile operators want to be able to offload data from their networks. So it's sensible to think about the use of Wi-Fi technology to do this."

Hill also revealed that BT will provide a dedicated mobile network for dignitaries, athletes and other VIPs, allocating them a Samsung phone with a BT Sim card when attending the games to access this network.

"Offering a dedicated mobile network that's off the normal network means that there should be no issues of coverage, which is part of our mission critical communications requirements," he said.

Hill added that BT will leave its fibre network in place after the games, ensuring that local homes and businesses will have fast internet connections in areas that would otherwise take years to join to its superfast network.

This will also include apartments in the athletes' village, which will become a standard apartment block, making it the first fibre-to-the-premises apartment complex in the UK.