The Wandsworth Council-branded wi-fi service is now giving registered users 30 minutes of free wi-fi a day. Once the half hour is up, users can extend their session for £5 a day.

The websites www.wandsworth.gov.uk and Locallife Wandsworth will be free to use for any length of time without the need to register.

The scheme is being delivered by the technology company Arqiva at no cost to the council. The council has received half a million pounds from Arqiva at the beginning of the contract for the use of the council's lampposts to install the network, and will get a share of any income generated.

Leader of the council, Cllr Ravi Govindia, said: "We’re delighted to offer local people free wi-fi – it makes it easier for people to access online services when they’re on the go, and helps local businesses flourish.

“It also means nobody will lose out and all our residents - even those without internet access at home - can find out about training and employment opportunities and access our Workmatch jobs brokerage scheme." 

This is the first phase of the project, with locations now live across the borough including Putney, Balham, Wandsworth, Clapham Junction and Tooting. More of the borough will come online in future phases later this year. To access the free wi-fi, check your list of available wi-fi networks. If it is available in your area, _WANDSWORTH_FREE will appear near the top.

Free wi-fi is part of the council’s Wandsworth Connected campaign to make it easier for residents and businesses to access council services online. 

Many services are already online, including applying for parking permits, paying penalty charge notices, managing council tax and housing accounts, library services and booking MOTs and holiday and afterschool playschemes.

The council recently modified its website so that it is optimised for whichever device is being used. There were more than a million page views in December 2013, and people are increasingly using tablets and smartphones to access the site, rather than PCs. The navigation system has also been improved, content has been rationalised and the homepage redesigned to make it even easier for people to find what they want on the site.

The council is also developing a ‘single sign-on’ system so that people accessing online accounts do not need to sign in multiple times.

March 10, 2014