River Thames gets Wi-Fi network

The River Thames is being covered by a new WiFi network.

The River Thames is being covered by a new Wi-Fi network.

Global Reach is deploying a Ruckus hardware-based Wi-Fi indoor and outdoor network for its public hotspot infrastructure along 44km of the River Thames and onboard Thames Clipper London river ferries.

The "Thames Wi-Fi" branded service will also be sold via wholesale channels, which includes supporting BT customers who have free Wi-Fi bundled with their broadband packages.

In addition Transport for London is using the Wi-Fi infrastructure for private services such as real-time location-based information, tracking boats, network monitoring, timetables, CCTV surveillance and other services.

Nigel Wesley, chief executive officer at Global Reach, said, "We are reducing the time to market for service providers and enterprise customers, allowing them to focus on monetisation and bringing value to the subscriber experience."

Global Reach is depolying Ruckus ZoneFlex access points at main piers crisscrossing the Thames River and on 24 Thames Clipper river ferries. Ruckus ZoneDirector controllers provide centralised administration and remote management.