Smart towns project progressing

Two of the new town WiFi units are now switched on with more planned soon, according to a town councillor.

Members of the Town Council's Economy & Environment Committee met on Monday, 7th October 2024, to discuss the progress of the managed WiFi system installation in the area.

During the meeting, Mayor of Newtown & Llanllwchaiarn, Cllr Pete Lewington, who is the lead councillor for the project, updated on the current status, stating, "Progress is slightly slower than we would have hoped for actually chair, but we do have the two units that are installed on Broad Street. They are switched on and they are active."

He further added, "We also have the one on the town council building, so we do have some coverage down to about WH Smith's on High Street."

Looking ahead, Lewington mentioned, "We are looking for two more locations." He acknowledged the support received, saying, "Councillor Chris Jones has been very helpful and supportive there with his town partnership hat on and Cllr Chris will be speaking to the owners of those two potential locations, hopefully this week."

Collaborating efforts with Powys County Council, Newtown Town Council aims to implement the managed WiFi system as part of a five-year funded scheme through Shared Prosperity Funding. The initiative not only seeks to enhance connectivity but also intends to provide insights into visitor patterns and behaviors within the town.

Data collected through the WiFi network will offer valuable information without identifying individual users or their browsing activities.