Freerunner offers free broadband for remote areas of the UK

Posted by David Walker on Fri 11 Sep 2009

Free broadband for all!

We have featured Freerunner previously, the brainchild of Owen Geddes (one of the people responsible for The Cloud network), it plans to bring free Wi-Fi access points to community-based venues, as well as cut-price Wi-Fi to commercial venues. In addition to that, Freerunner has now launched a fund to introduce Wi-Fi hotspots to serve local communities in deprived or remote areas.

The fund will allow Freerunner to deploy an initial 50 free-to-use hotspots in local communities across the UK and if you live in such an area, you can apply for one of those connections up to 25th September 2009. You can even choose where it can go, just as long as you don't opt for 'my spare room'. If that's not enough, Freerunner is now working in conjunction with the JustGiving.com online charity to give 500 UK charity locations free Wi-Fi.

'People need Internet access to be able to function equally in today’s society, and that most basic right is not being given to them,' says Freerunner CEO Owen Geddes. 'Freerunner can help rise to the challenge set out in the Digital Britain Report – we believe that it is now time for entrepreneurial commercial businesses to take the initiative and solve the problem. Our team is on stand-by to install an initial 50 hotspots across the UK no matter where they are, and are working to find commercial sponsors for more future locations. We’re also determined to support charities, who play an invaluable role in our communities, by giving people a new reason to visit and giving them a chance to breach the ‘digital divide’ by working closely with companies such as JustGiving.com.'

The successful applicants for the Freerunner hotspots will be contacted by 1st October 2009 and listed on the Freerunner website. But before that, you'll need to send 150 words explaining where and why they want the connection to connectmenow@freerunr.com (or if you haven't got the net, call 0800 860 0815).

Link: Freerunner

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