To live in a world without an Internet connection may not feel like a world altogether. Almost anything and everything is connected or has the ability to provide connection to the Internet. And now, Virgin Media is testing a new service that will bring internet connection from right under people's feet.
According to a Techtimes article on the matter, the telecommunications company is currently testing the service in Chesham. Virgin Media dubbed the service 'Smart Pavement', and the company aims to make the Internet service available to local businesses all over the United Kingdom. The Internet connection will have a speed of 166Mbps, about four times the speed of regular wifi services in the country.
Residents and passersby will also be able to enjoy the service, which is brought by a collaborative effort between Virgin and the Chiltern District Council. Virgin is utilizing its many networks of ducts and access points all over Buckinghamshire, as the company is situating wi-fi routers in its networks in the United Kingdom. Many of the devices will be installed in manholes.
The new free service is a high-speed and seamless one for users on-the-go. "It is literally public Wi-Fi under your feet. We want to build more networks like this across the UK and encourage more forward-thinking councils just like Chesham to get in touch," Virgin Media managing director Gregor McNeil said in a press release. McNeil also claimed that the initiative is the "first deployment of a wifi-connected pavement" in the United Kingdom.
Manhole covers have been replaced with ones made from resin, and antennas have been strategically placed on the streets. This allows Smart Pavement to provide Internet connection up to an 80-metre distance. Download speed is reported to be 20Mbps. Virgin has not indicated if it will be extending the service to other parts of the country.
