BT broadband users to create shared wi-fi network

Plans to create a nationwide wi-fi community in the UK were unveiled today.

Telecoms giant BT wants wireless broadband customers to share their connections with other agreed users.

BT Total Broadband customers would make a portion of their home connection available to other people via a separate, secure channel on their wireless router.

Every person who opens up their own home broadband in this way would in turn have access to other members’ wireless broadband connections.

This process will create hotspots of wireless broadband access – known as wi-fi - across the UK, according to BT.

BT group managing director for consumer services Gavin Patterson said: “This is the start of something very exciting for BT. Today, we are launching a people’s network of wi-fi, which could one day cover every street in Britain.”

The firm will invite more than three million Total Broadband customers to take part.

They will have access to more than 190,000 existing hotspots worldwide run by the Spanish firm Fon, free of charge.