Up to 15,000 passengers could soon have access to free Wi-Fi at the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, US.
According to ajc.com, the airport only has a small-capacity paid service at the moment, which can supply up to 4,000 users with Wi-Fi access. This means that only an incredibly small fraction of the 250,000 customers that travel through the airport everyday can gain access – and only if they pay.
Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is currently applying for approval for a wireless internet infrastructure upgrade contract from the Atlanta City Council. Spokesperson for the airport Reese McCranie said: “We’ve heard loud and clear that (the lack of free Wi-Fi) is an issue with passengers and we are aggressively seeking a solution.”
It seems that the upgrade is vital, especially when it comes to improving capacity, as Hartsfield-Jackson is the world’s busiest airport, reports therepublic.com. Business travellers and tourists often need or want access to the internet to check emails, look at their social networks or even play certain mobile games that require an internet connection.
The council has stated that in a best case scenario, customers will be able to use the free service come the end of March. Johnson Controls Inc has been selected to carry out the upgrade, as it was the lowest bidder at $3.6 million. However, the airport has budgeted $6 million, mostly to act as an incentive to finish the work quicker.
