Free Wi-Fi is set to go live at the Cromwell Mall later this year.
The initiative would hopefully "entice" more people into the mall, and had come from a "collaborative approach" between various stakeholders, a report from Central Otago District Council information services manager Nathan McLeod presented at Tuesday’s Cromwell Community Board meeting said.
The report said free limited internet via Wi-Fi was provided at present on an "ad hoc" basis by businesses within the Cromwell Mall, including the Cromwell Library and Cromwell i-SITE.
The council services are managed by council’s information services department, and the current Wi-Fi infrastructure was due for renewal.
The Cromwell District Promotions Group was asked to drive the free Wi-Fi project by the business community, and saw the "potential benefits to everyone from this opportunity", the report said.
The free Wi-Fi was planned to go live in the Cromwell Mall later this year, in time for summer and increased visitors.
It will operate from 7am to 11pm, adjustable to seasons and events; have session time of 60 minutes per device per day, or specific to a zone; and will have website filtering to block inappropriate sites.
