Beijing: Free Wifi to cover over 400 public areas

Beijing is planning to cover free Wifi to more than 400 key public areas, where there are large streams of people or prominent public services, by 2017, Beijing Morning Post reports.

The city will construct a total of 13,000 wireless access points in the 400 public areas, including an administrative service hall, transport hubs, scenic spots, and museums.

In a pilot plan that begun at the end of 2011, Beijing has provided a three-year free Wifi service in nine areas including Xidan and Wangfujing.

Many users say that sometimes the free Wifi in these areas cannot be connected or the verification code cannot be received.

Mao Dongjun, deputy director at the Beijing Municipal Commission of Economy and Information Technology, said the current Wifi technology determines a commercial access point and can only provide Internet access to twenty to thirty users.

To solve this problem, the new plan will increase the density of wireless code to accommodate more people to surf the Internet, Mao added.

In addition, the city will set up a management platform and real-time monitoring systems to improve the service of free Wifi in these public areas.