In addition to Freerunner's standard best in class free WiFi product, the World Cup Edition gives pubs a way to draw more customers into their venue this summer. Freerunner has teamed up to provide direct access to World Cup content and sports betting for customers during the World Cup. Additionally venues are provided with a special signage pack to let the public know there is free WiFi, content, news and sports betting in the pub.
Installations are taking place during April and May 2010 in time for the start of the World Cup. Contact sales@freerunr.com or 0203 008 2400 for more details.
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London, December 17, 2009: Freerunner, the free public WiFi network today announced the winners of its community competition. 46 communities across the UK will receive free WiFi for a minimum of three years regardless of the current connectivity in the area. Freerunner is using a combination of traditional broadband, satellite and 3G technology to connect underserved or remote communities that desperately need access to the internet.
Freerunner launched the competition in September 2009 and received over 500 entries from charities to mosques, scout groups to community centres. Entries were judged by Freerunner’s Board members and winners were selected based on how much of an impact the prize would make.
“The Freerunner mission is to give everyone free access to fast WiFi whether you are in a coffee shop in the West End of London or a community centre in the suburbs of Newcastle,” says Owen Geddes, CEO of Freerunner. “We wanted to start with those most in need so we put the call out and the response was pretty overwhelming. It is incredible to think that a small piece of relatively low cost technology is going to fundamentally change nearly 50 communities across the UK.
Government and corporate sponsors are essential to rolling out free internet access to communities and we are very excited to have our first corporate partner - broadband supplier, BE. BE will be providing a broadband connection to those that don’t have any connection at all, completely free of charge as part of this project.”
"We’re proud to be part of the Freerunner mission and agree that WiFi should be more widely available,” says Tom Williams, Head of Operations at BE Broadband. "Freerunner’s attitude reminds me of what BE did for broadband when we created the first UK ADSL 2+ network. Our members are more likely to hang out in independent shops and cafes, so we’re proud to hook up Freerunner communities with fast and unlimited broadband. "
Ian Johnson, Project Leader for the Black Country Learning Academy says, “Many people in our area have never been online and know little about IT. Freerunner’s WiFi means we can set up new internet enabled computers allowing us to run more literacy, numeracy, IT and UK-Online courses, improving the employment prospects of people across the region”.
For a full list of all the winners, please visit www.freerunr.com/community. For more information, there is also a blog, www.freerunr.com/blog following the installations and detailing how WiFi is going to change the winning communities.
About Freerunner
Freerunner (www.freerunr.com) was launched on 20th May 2009 by a team of industry experts led by founder and CEO, Owen Geddes. The aim is to provide free wireless broadband access to consumers in both commercial and public locations. The vision is to readdress the balance between big brand venues and those areas that are currently significantly underserved. Freerunner has received initial funding from NorthStar Equity and the North East will be the first to benefit from the roll-out.
About BE
BE (www.bethere.co.uk) is the UK’s first ISP provider of ADSL2+ technology, with real world speeds up to 24 meg download and up to 2.5 meg upload. BE’s mission is simple: to provide its members with the best Internet service, with the best products, at the best possible price.
]]>Freerunner signs Phones 4u as first major UK commercial retailer
London October 12 2009: Freerunner, the free public WiFi network has today announced its first UK commercial retailer, Phones 4u. The roll-out to 450 stores across the UK will allow staff and customers to demonstrate Phones 4u’s vast range of WiFi enabled products from mobile handsets to laptops.
Freerunner launched in May 2009 and has quickly established an international footprint with interests in Netherlands, Serbia and South Africa with new countries across Africa and Europe coming soon. This international footprint along with a dedicated team ready to rollout free public WiFi to unconnected or remote areas of the UK as part of its WiFi Fund initiative means Freerunner is set to become one of the worlds leading public WiFi providers.
“Phones 4u focuses on delivering a great customer experience within our stores,” says Brendan Sweeney, MD of Phones 4u. “We make sure our staff are the friendliest, most knowledgeable, skilled and best-supported staff in the mobile industry. Free public WiFi in our stores will allow our team members to show off our market leading range of products to the best of their ability and allow our customers to connect for free as they are browsing.”
“We want to get free public WiFi to as many places in the UK as quickly as possible,” says Owen Geddes, CEO of Freerunner. “We believe that the days of pay by the hour WiFi are dead. Our business model means we can move quickly installing secure technology that works instantly. Phones 4u gave us the challenge of providing a service that is tailored for mobile devices, providing a platform for in-store demonstrations along with giving consumers absolutely free Internet access. Partnering with a business that has such a significant footprint is a real move forward for us,” says Owen Geddes, CEO of Freerunner.
The roll-out will start immediately with all stores to be up and running in November.
]]>London 11th September 2009: Freerunner, the free public WiFi network has today launched a fund to invest in free WiFi hotpots to serve local communities in deprived or remote areas. The fund will allow Freerunner to deploy an initial 50 free to use hotspots in local communities across the UK. Community members will be able to apply for one of the 50 connections until 25th September 2009 and can choose where they want it - be it the local library, youth centre or pub.
In addition, Freerunner is now working in conjunction with JustGiving.com, the online charity fundraiser; to give 500 UK charity locations free WiFi. JustGiving has close to 8,000 charity members in the UK alone, who will be invited to take advantage of the offer.
Zarine Kharas, JustGiving's CEO, said "In working with Freerunner to provide free WiFi to 500 charities, we are aiming to help bridge the digital divide for the smallest charities and enable them to do more online. This is in line with our goal to democratise fundraising and technology for charities, creating a level playing field where all charities, no matter their size, can make the most of the fantastic opportunities that the internet provides."
“People need Internet access to be able to function equally in today’s society, and that most basic right is not being given to them,” says Owen Geddes, CEO of Freerunner. “Freerunner can help rise to the challenge set out in the Digital Britain Report – we believe that it is now time for entrepreneurial commercial businesses to take the initiative and solve the problem. Our team is on stand-by to install an initial 50 hotspots across the UK no matter where they are, and are working to find commercial sponsors for more future locations. We’re also determined to support charities, who play an invaluable role in our communities, by giving people a new reason to visit and giving them a chance to breach the ‘digital divide’ by working closely with companies such as JustGiving.com.”
Freerunner wants community members from across the country to apply; whether a librarian or the local vicar. Freerunner will install the hotspot allowing all community members to log-on to the network for free at any time. The successful applicants will be contacted by 1st October 2009 and listed on the Freerunner website.
Members of the community interested in receiving a free hotspot need to send 150 words explaining where and why they want the connection to connectmenow@freerunr.com or fill in our application form. For those without access to email there is a free phone number to contact the team on - 0800 860 0815.
]]>The new model allows rapid deployment of networks with low investment. The networks is centrally managed, equipment centrally deployed and international wholesale and advertising revenues provided. Freerunner does not charge a cent until a location is in place, and making money. The proposition offers all the support of a major WiFi operator and brand, with none of the start-up costs.
Freerunner is delighted to annouce the first three franchises have been awarded in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia - the first hotspots going live in Belgrade during August.
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