# Wi-Fi-Streaming Sidewalks This UK City Has In-Street WiFi For Pedestrians Provided by Virgin Media By Cadhla Gray | Published 2015-10-16 | Updated 2015-10-19 | Tech Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/street-wifi References: [gizmodo](http://gizmodo.com/uk-sidewalks-are-spewing-wifi-into-the-street-1736891058) & [eandt.theiet.org](http://eandt.theiet.org/news/2015/oct/smart-pavement-chesham.cfm) Chesham is a sleepy little British town that is now lucky enough to benefit from built-in street Wi-Fi so that any pedestrian walking down the lane can connect. [Virgin Media](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/virgin-media) has built underground access points around the center of town and the large Lowndes Park that stretches 26 meters. These points eventually link up to the [local fiber-optic network](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/fiber-internet-service) through the Internet source's street cabinets. Not only is this incredibly convenient, but the street Wi-Fi is actually also incredibly fast. The downloading speed can reach 166 Mb/s, which translates into 35 seconds for a TV show. Joining other public Wi-Fi efforts, like New York City's repurposed connected phone booths, Virgin Media joins [Google](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/charging-station-1) in the move to make public, free Internet access the norm. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 2.9/10 - Popularity: 35% | Activity: 43% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Tech](https://www.trendhunter.com/tech) > [Mobile](https://www.trendhunter.com/mobile) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **In-street Wifi:** Developing in-street WiFi access could change the way people interact with public spaces, revolutionizing how they work and communicate on the go. - **Fast Public Wifi:** Developing faster public WiFi could be a game-changer for people and cities as it allows faster access to online resources for people on the go. - **Free Public Wifi:** Offering free public WiFi access empowers people and helps bridge the digital divide by enabling even those who can't afford internet access to get online. ### Where This Applies - **Telecommunications:** The telecommunications industry can benefit from the growth of in-street WiFi as the technology can improve mobile internet speeds and facilitate communication across different devices, leading to new opportunities for innovation and growth. - **Smart Cities:** The smart cities industry can benefit from the growth of in-street WiFi as it enables the deployment of IoT devices that connect city systems like traffic control, parking, and even public health, creating new opportunities for improvement and innovation. - **Retail:** The retail industry can benefit from the growth of in-street WiFi as it can facilitate mobile payments and in-store experiences enabled by AR/VR technologies that require efficient and fast internet speeds. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Hyperconnected Townhouses](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/house-of-fibre.md) - [Ultra-Speedy Internet Packages](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sky-broadband-gigafast.md) - [Affordable Wi-Fi Networks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/affordable-wifi.md) - [Ultra-Speedy Internet Services](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sky-broadband-wifi-max.md) - [WiFi 7-Enabled Internet Services](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ee-full-fibre-broadband.md) - [Complimentary Airplane WiFi Partnerships](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/british-airways-and-starlink.md) - [Ultra-Efficient Fiber Internet Services](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/fiber-internet-service.md) - [High-Speed Wi-Fi Systems](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lumen-technologies.md) - [Satellite-Powered In-Flight WiFi](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/united-airlines-and-starlink.md)