Jerusalem mayor boasts of free WiFi in city center ’10x faster’ than Tel Aviv’s
Moshe Lion says new system designed to withstand heavy usage, surfers can enjoy download speeds of 16MB
Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion announced Thursday that the municipality has introduced free wireless internet in the city center for residents and visitors, which operates at a speed ten times that of Israel’s technological and financial capital, Tel Aviv.
“The deployment of a free wireless internet in the city center places Jerusalem as the capital of Israel’s technological innovation, in line with the world’s smartest cities,” Lion declared in a press release. “This tech infrastructure will enable internet access at top speeds for all, including the city’s residents, businesses, and millions of tourists.”
Surfers will be able to enjoy download speeds of 16Mbps, which the Jerusalem municipality says is ten times faster than the free wireless in Tel Aviv.
According to the press release, the system is designed to withstand heavy usage without collapse and has been installed at the Mahane Yehuda market and in the city center on Shammai, Hillel and Ben Yehuda streets and Kikar HaHatulot.
It is expected that within a few months, access will be available from Independence Park to Jaffa Street.
According to the Jerusalem municipality, an average of 406 users per day log on to the system.
Tel Aviv has offered free WiFi in various locations across the city since 2013.
A spokesperson for the Tel Aviv municipality said there are 180 wireless hotspots across the cities, mainly in areas of interest for tourists, but did not immediately answer a query about the speed of the internet provided.
Many cities around the world offer free wireless internet, often limiting the amount of time and speed it can be used to prevent the system from becoming clogged by heavy use from individuals and businesses.
