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Cut the internet cord

Posted: 04/08/04 By: Jemima Kiss

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Wi-fi internet access is likely to be particularly popular with journalists covering this year's Labour Party conference in Brighton - because it is likely to be the only broadband web access on site.

Journalists can normally sign up for a fixed line broadband connection, but providers NTL have failed to agree terms with the conference venue, the Brighton Centre.

NTL typically charges £365 for a five-day connection, a service that it normally offers at all three major political conferences.

But the Brighton Centre has its own year-round wireless, or Wi-fi, internet access, supplied by specialist firm FreeLAN.

On site, users with a Wi-fi enabled computer will be taken automatically to a log-in page when they launch their web browsers. Connection costs £3 per hour, or £99 for two weeks' continuous use booked in advance.

The wireless network allows journalists to connect anywhere in the conference venue. Journalists can report without having to work from the press room, and photographers can transmit images directly from the conference floor.

"One of the main reasons the Brighton Centre wanted our system in the first place was to avoid the continual running of cabling for each event and the upheaval and damage associated with that," said Sue Clarke, client services manager for FreeLAN.

FreeLAN has also negotiated an agreement to provide a wireless network for Bournemouth International Centre, said Ms Clarke, although this will not be set up in time for the Liberal Democrat and Conservative party conferences in September and October.

Instead, NTL's fixed-line service will be available in Bournemouth, and a wireless network run by BT Openzone is available in the nearby Hilton Hotel.

Journalists looking for extra inspiration in Brighton can also use the free Wi-fi network on the beach supplied by the PierToPier network.

More news from dotJournalism:
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Hacks on the beach

See also:
FreeLAN: http://www.freelanplc.com
NTL: http://www.ntl.com/mediacentre
BT Openzone: http://www.btopenzone.com
Labour Party: http://www.labour.org.uk
Conservative Party: http://www.conservatives.com
Liberal Democrats: http://www.libdems.org.uk
Brighton Centre: http://www.brightoncentre.co.uk
Bournemouth International Centre: http://www.bic.co.uk
PierToPier: http://www.piertopier.net

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