Bahrain-based telecom group Batelco plans to roll out wi-fi hotspots at more than 50 locations across the kingdom, which are currently wi-fi-ready or in process, and will be launched during 2016.

The rollout, which will make Bahrain as one home with internet access, has begun with a number of hotspots including The Bahrain International Circuit, Seef Mall Muharraq and the Juffair Restaurant area ready to go as part of this significant initiative.

The launch was held at an exclusive event held at the Bahrain International Circuit under the patronage of the Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed and in the presence of the chairman Shaikh Hamad bin Abdulla Al Khalifa.

“This service will undoubtedly elevate communication standards in Bahrain to be on par with the ranks of smart and sophisticated international locations that provide first class services to residents and tourists. The Kingdom of Bahrain has been and remains a pioneer and leader in all service areas and Batelco is very proud to play its part,” said Batelco Bahrain CEO Muna Al Hashemi.

The launch of Bahrain-wi-fi combined with the rollout of Batelco’s Superfast fiber network provides the most advanced digital platform for consumers and business in Bahrain.

In the first major step for the project, Batelco provided wi-fi throughout the Bahrain International Circuit for the 2016 Formula One weekend, making it the first international circuit to provide free public wi-fi. Over the course of the three day event, around 70,000 visitors connected to the Bahrain wi-fi network which provided full coverage throughout the circuit with the public generating over one terabyte of wi-fi traffic.

“Supporting Bahrain’s vision to be a leading regional communications hub and helping with attracting businesses and tourist to the Kingdom is high on Batelco’s agenda. The provisioning of wi-fi throughout the Bahrain International Circuit for the 2016 Formula One weekend was just the first step, and we were delighted with its success. We look forward to extending the service to many other key locations in the near future,” Al Hashemi said.

“Batelco’s effort to cover Bahrain with wi-fi demonstrates the Company’s commitment in developing relevant Smart City solutions which help to maintain Bahrain’s leading position on the international market. Additionally this initiative reiterates the alignment of Batelco’s goals to those of the Kingdom of Bahrain and emphasises its support for the local digitisation drive,” she added.

Batelco’s most exciting innovation yet, Bahrain wi-fi, will be available to all, providing a most convenient service to Bahrain’s population and visitors. Any wi-fi enabled devices will be able to connect to the Bahrain wi-fi Landing page and benefit from a limited daily complimentary allocation, following which they will be directed to the Bahrain wi-fi portal with easy payment options to continue using the service. Batelco’s mobile customers will be automatically connected to the service whenever they enter one of the wi-fi hotspots. – TradeArabia News Service