Visitors to Europe as well as locals will soon find it easier to get online for directions, information and more as the EU distributes €120 million in vouchers to enable cities and towns to set up new public hotspots.
The vouchers, each worth €15,000, are being distributed on a first-come first-serve basis, although each country is guaranteed at least a minimum 15 vouchers for the program, called WiFi4EU. The first round included 2,800 vouchers.
Networks funded by the vouchers will be free, and will have no advertising or data collection. They have to be in places where equivalent free service didn’t exist before. They are to be located in public spaces such as museums, parks, or libraries. Towns that get vouchers must get their service up within 18 months, and must guarantee at least three years of service after that.
