Swindon's wi-fi network 'will go ahead'
- Published
Councillors in Swindon say they are confident plans to roll out wireless internet (wi-fi) across the town will go ahead despite slow progress.
In December 2009 the Highworth area went live and the borough council agreed to lend operator Digital City UK Ltd £400,000 for the second phase.
Councillor Garry Perkins said it was clear the progress made to date was not what had been hoped from the outset.
"I remain convinced about the potential of the project," he said.
'New opportunities'
In a statement, Swindon Borough Council said the partners of Digital City UK Ltd were in "positive discussions" about securing new private sector investment to put it on a firm financial footing and enable it to build on the progress made so far.
Mr Perkins added: "However, things don't always go as you plan in business, particularly when you are dealing with something that is innovative.
"Rather than dwell on the past, I am determined to proactively seek out new opportunities to reshape this initiative so it can realise its potential and deliver something positive for the people of Swindon.
"The discussions are anticipated to continue over the next few weeks.
"Partners are unable to go into detail about the nature of the discussions."
The equipment, mounted on lampposts, allows people to connect to the internet via laptops or portable devices.
The £1m project is run by Digital City UK Ltd, in which Swindon Borough Council has a 35% share.