Free wi-fi for Auckland during RWC - but free services banned in stadiums

UPDATED SEPTEMBER 8:  Free Wi-fi access went live today on Auckland's transport system.

Sponsored by Localist, travellers on Link buses and some trains will be able to access the Internet for free, in three 30 minute sessions, Computerworld reported.

This week, CallPlus and Slingshot announced they would also be providing free WiFi to the Auckland area, planned for 1000 hot spots.  Almost half had been deployed in the coverage area of the Auckland CBD, the Viaduct, Ponsonby, Grey Lynn, Herne Bay and Freemans Bay.  The hotspots had been offered to all bars, hotels and other congregation points, CallPlus chief executive Mark Callander said.

So at large, it looks like punters are in for a feast of free wireless internet.

But at Eden Park itself - as with other World Cup stadiums - the various free wi-fi initiatives will be banned.

Telecom spokesman Nick Gowland told NBR, "Gen-i has been contracted by RugbyNZ 2011, the tournament organisers, to provide a range of voice, data, mobile, hardware and software services at stadiums. This service includes providing WiFi at stadium media centres for journalists to use during RWC 2011 matches.

"RugbyNZ 2011's requirements are that stadiums be free of any other WiFi service during matches."

The free wi-fi will be provided to the media centre only.

Localist.co.nz has entered into an agreement with Auckland Council and Tomizone to sponsor free internet on the Auckland expanded Wi-Fi network from September 1.

Auckland Council announced in July that it had teamed up with Tomizone to expand its current network by the time of the Rugby World Cup.  The expanded network would cover Kingsland, Queen Street, Britomart, Queens Wharf, lower Parnell, northern Ponsonby Rd, Mt Eden Village, Onehunga and certain rugby training areas and transport hubs around Auckland.

At the time, the Council said the service would be offered at a “guaranteed discount” so that taxpayers did not incur the cost of free access. 

Wellington City Council announced in May that it would provide free Wi-Fi access across most of its central business district in the lead up to the Rugby World Cup.

Tomizone executive director Steve Simms told NBR in July that Tomizone would not advocate for ratepayers to pay for other’s free access, and that he thought commercial entities were fairly happy to provide sponsorship for free access.

The specs
It seems he was right, with Localist stepping up to the plate in Auckland.  Free access would be offered for up to three 30-minute sessions a day per Wi-Fi device, a statement from the Auckland Council said.

A spokeswoman for Localist said WiFi access would be free from September 1 to October 31 2011.

Users would need to log in with an email address, Mr Simms told NBR, and there would be no data caps for the service, which Localist confirmed.

He said the high speed access would be above 2 Mbps.

Some sites could potentially be restricted at the discretion of the Council and Localist, “simply because anything offensive is not necessarily in the public good.”

A spokeswoman for Localist said Auckland Council could restrict objectionable content at its discretion. 

Localist’s financial investment in the free access was a private deal between Localist and Tomizone, she said.

Copyright infringements covered
Mr Simms said Tomizone was a downstream provider and would follow up any infringement notices under the new Copyright (Infringing File Sharing) Amendment Act by tracing the perpetrator. 

“On our system we actually track it right down to device and know where they are and in some cases, who they are because they’d be using their email address to register anyway.”

Mr Simms said Tomizone would be employing traffic management but did not wish to go into detail.

It's a Localist thing
He said Localist sponsorship was a “fantastic” initiative because it did not cost rate payers anything.

“It’s the way that we believe that free WiFi should be offered and we’ve been offering free WiFi in this kind of fashion for years.”

Auckland mayor Len Brown said in the release that it was great that the expanded and free service could be offered in time for the RWC.

“Securing sponsorship to provide free Wi-Fi on the expanded Auckland network is great news for both Aucklanders and visitors without putting a financial burden on our ratepayers.”

Localist head of marketing Sheryl Nichols said in the statement that offering free Wi-Fi to locals, visitors and tourists was a natural extension of Localist’s mission to showcase the best of Auckland, since Localist’s guidebooks, website and mobile apps revolved around putting users in touch with local information.

“Offering free Wi-Fi is just one more way Localist can help you find what’s good around here.”