BT launches Westminster Wi-Fi information and ticket booking service

BT today launched a free Wi-Fi service in Westminster which will allow anybody in the area with a laptop or mobile (with Wi-Fi) to find local information as well as book restaurants and reserve tickets to events.

The BT MyPlace service (BTMyPlace.com) is being launched with Westminster City Council through a partnership with technology providers io global, Intel and Cisco and uses content and booking facilities from web site partners including Love Theatre, London Pass, Top Table and Time Out.

When within the mesh area of Wi-Fi hotspots, which give connectivity throughout most of the Westminster area, mobile web users will be able to research information on local hotels, restaurants and tourist attractions and be guided by independent reviews. The service allows users to book tickets for the theatre and other events as well as buy a London Pass for tourist attractions across the capital.

The service can triangulate a person’s position, or if coverage does not allow, at least log their nearest Wi-Fi antenna, and prioritise information that is most relevant to their location. This enables a ‘find my nearest’ service for hotels, restaurants, cashpoints, among others.

Chris Bruce, General Manager of BT Openzone, reveals the service will be free to any user with Wi-Fi connectivity within the Westminster City Council area, although the service is also available over fixed line and other mobile connections.

“It’s effectively a web site on which anyone can set up preferences and then, when you’re in Westminster, it can prioritise around the things it knows you like, such as where your nearest French restaurant is,” he says.

“In Westminster it’s free for anyone to use over the Wi-Fi connection, although if you’re not an Openzone customer, or you don’t have a roaming agreement with Openzone, then you won’t be able to go on and use the connection to check other websites or receive email. It’s effectively a walled garden.”

Bruce reveals that the partners in the project are going to look at the success of the scheme before deciding whether to roll it out to other areas where BT has mesh networks.

“We’ve got very good coverage across most of Kensington and Chelsea, City of London, Camden and Walthamstow as well as across Liverpool, Newcastle and Birmingham,” he says.

“So we would need to work with their councils and local content providers to see if we think there is a similar service we could roll out in those areas.”

Peter Gandy, VP Digital Services at io global reveals that although the BT MyPlace service is free to use, it is intended to generate revenue through advertising and commissions on tickets sold through the service.

“We’re getting a lot of interest from advertisers because there are 800,000 commuters, 250,000 residents and around 23 million tourists per year covered by this area,” he says.

“Web advertising is well established but reaching people on the move is still a challenge and so we’re offering a solution that puts you in the pocket of commuters, residents and tourists in the heart of London. We’re positioning the service at pushing messages to people at the point of sale, when they’re actually out and about and not on their computer at home or work.”

Tags: BT, BT MyPlace, BT Openzone, Cisco, Intel, io global, Love Theatre, mesh, Time Out, Top Table, Westminster, Westminster City Council, Wi-Fi