The spur for this network was the imminent arrival of the British Commonwealth Games in the summer. Up to 80 WiFi hotspots will be deployed in central Glasgow (more to follow to other parts of the city after the games).

The idea is that will offer a happy hour (six months in this case) when the network will be free to use without limitation. At the end of that period it will remain free for everyone for 30 minutes each day and access to the Glasgow City Council’s own website will remain completely free for all across the network.

It is, if you like, an giant slab of amenity WiFi, thus enabling the council to offer free access to its online services and information.

BT has an eight year contract with an option to extend it for two more.

The council gets to provide a visible amenity to its citizens (for no cost) in exchange for offering the street furniture leases, while BT gets another 80 or more hotspots to add to its already vast WiFi footprint. Presumably users get upsold after the first 30 free minutes to its service.

The BT contract is for eight years with an option to extend for another two and the councill is quick to point out that it hasn’t had to make any investment of rate-payers money.