Free Wi-Fi is coming to the central city

Christchurch’s central city will soon have free high-quality Wi-Fi.

Community-owned fibre broadband provider Enable approached Christchurch City Council last year about partnering with them to roll out Christchurch Free Wi-Fi at access points within the central business district.

Free public Wi-Fi is already available at the Council’s libraries and some of its facilities and open public spaces and this will broaden the coverage.

“We saw this as a great opportunity for the city and really appreciate the social good that Enable will help achieve for our residents. Having an efficient, reliable and fast public Wi-Fi network is a fundamental step in further promoting Ōtautahi-Christchurch as an innovative and progressive city,” says Christchurch City Council chief executive Dawn Baxendale.

According to the 2020-21 Digital Inclusion Action Plan by the Department of Internal Affairs, it is estimated that one in five people in New Zealand lack at least one of the four elements needed to be digitally included – motivation, access, skills or trust.

“Free Wi-Fi provides open access to the digital network for all residents who spend time in the central city – not just those with data plans.”

Enable Chief Executive Johnathan Eele says the company wanted to help make high quality Wi-Fi access available for all.

“Enable is committed to maximising its fibre infrastructure to deliver financial and social returns to our community and support the realisation of new possibilities across our city,” says Enable Chief Executive, Johnathan Eele.

Mr Eele says free Wi-Fi will bring significant social and economic benefits for the city.

“Providing what we believe will be a truly unique free Wi-Fi experience compared to other cities around New Zealand, due to the quality of the service, is one of the many ways we want to contribute to the growth and vitality of Christchurch.”

To deliver Christchurch Free Wi-Fi, Enable is installing equipment on existing Council street infrastructure such as traffic lights and streetlights. Enable’s fibre network will connect the access points to the Council’s internet service.

ChristchurchNZ General Manager Destination and Attraction Loren Heaphy says free Wi-Fi allows businesses and visitors to easily connect with one another.

“With Te Pae now open, this service is helping us move towards becoming a city that hosts national and international business events where conference delegates can easily do business. It also allows us to see where the hot spots in the city are for tourists so we can plan events and visitor information accordingly.”

The service is intended to be available to the public from Thursday 30 June, once the testing phase is complete.