bmobile launches public WiFi at the Queen’s Park Savannah
bmobile has given the capital city the gift of connectivity. The Company is making it easier for locals and tourists to never miss a beat by providing public WiFi around the Queen’s Park Savannah.
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TSTT’s CEO, Dr. Ronald Walcott, noted that deploying WiFi around the Capital’s largest open recreational space was a ‘no brainer’. Dr. Walcott, who recently announced that TSTT recorded an operating profit of over $160M for the first three quarters of 2019/2020 fiscal, stated, “In today’s increasingly digital world, connectivity is the new currency and contrary to what some may think, it goes beyond being tethered to a smartphone. Connectivity is inextricably linked to productivity, innovation and development.” The CEO added, “As the national provider, our goal is to enrich the lives of our people and facilitate sustainable economic growth and national development. It’s therefore no surprise that our broadband strategy is founded on the principle of providing universal, affordable and reliable connectivity and access for all. We understand the role that access to reliable broadband plays in advancing society and bridging the digital divide. As such, we will continue to work footstep with the Government to deploy this service in strategic locations throughout Trinidad and Tobago.” Dr. Walcott revealed that in the near future, the Public WiFi service will be extended to include Woodford Square.
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Dr. Walcott noted that over a four day period, his team worked diligently to run 15 km of fibre and deploy 68 access points that would allow up to 5000 devices to be connected to the public WiFi. He added that the strongest signal will be along the footpath or the perimeter of the QPS. To further enhance the experience of those who frequent the Savannah, bmobile has also outfitted the food court area with the necessary access points to ensure a seamless service.
The CEO shared that the success of the initiative required collaboration from a number of entities including Huawei, T&TEC, UDECOTT and the Horticultural Services Division. “This was not a one-man or one-company job. Global technology leader and TSTT’s long-standing strategic partner, Huawei, was integral to this deployment. As part of their own commitment to increasing connectivity and improving accessibility in T&T, Huawei joined forces with us to provide the equipment that was used - free of charge.” He also commended T&TEC for granting approval to ensure that the access points were installed on their poles around the savannah.
Minister of Public Utilities, Senator the Honourable Robert Le Hunte applauded TSTT for their commitment to the people of Trinidad and Tobago and support for the government’s thrust to transform the Queen’s Park Savannah into a smart space. “The Queen’s Park Savannah is one of the most iconic places in Trinidad and Tobago. Its history and place at the centre of our cultural and social landscape makes it a suitable candidate for our smart space and smart cities initiative. We will soon be placing solar panel recycling bins at various points around the perimeter, and we are working towards adding new features to the recently installed lighting systems,” stated Senator Le Hunte.
The MPU Minister added that the bmobile’s Public WiFi Service was just one of the ‘smart spaces’ that the government will be establishing in population centres across the country as a stepping stone towads the development of smart cities. “We have embarked on this project because we understand the direction in which the world is headed and we are working towards giving our citizens the best possible chance at succeeding in the global marketplace,” remarked Senator Le Hunte. He noted that smart cities and spaces provide the infrastructure and equipment that assist in achieving these goals in a sustainable manner.
Locals and tourists who want to make the most of the WiFi around the QPS, must connect to bmobile_WiFi. There is no password and anyone with a WiFi enabled device will be able to enjoy speeds of up to 5mbps, free of charge, regardless of their provider. Each device will be able to connect to the WiFi for one (1) thirty minute session every 24 hours.
The launch of this initiative was supported by key government and private sector stakeholders including Minister of Public Administration, Senator Allyson West, Minister of Communications, Senator Donna Cox, Minister of Community Development Culture and the Arts, Dr. Nyan Gadsby-Dolly and the Mayor of Port-of-Spain, His Worship Alderman Joel Martinez.