Winnipeg, MB – The City of Winnipeg and Shaw Communications Inc. have reached an agreement that allows public guest access to Shaw's Wi-Fi services in more than 130 civic facilities.
“Whether it’s for work, play, or just staying in touch, feeling connected is an important part of our everyday lives,” said Mayor Brian Bowman. “Access to Wi-Fi is an important resource for residents no matter where they are in our city. With the support of Shaw, we can now offer free Wi-Fi at nearly all of our community centres, indoor pools, arenas, and libraries.”
“Access to fast and reliable Wi-Fi has become more important as people choose to stay connected outside of the home through more and more devices,” says Chris Kucharski, President, Consumer, Shaw Communications. “Whether it’s before a hockey game, after swimming laps or during a community event, the City of Winnipeg’s free public Wi-Fi network will provide residents and visitors with more ways to stay connected at city facilities.”
Residents and visitors can connect to the public Wi-Fi network by selecting the “ShawGuest” network name from the device’s Wi-Fi settings menu, opening their Internet browser and accepting the Terms of Use.
The Facilities Attachment License Agreement between the City and Shaw was amended, which previously allowed Wi-Fi access for Shaw customers only in civic facilities. This agreement has been in place since January 2013. Complimentary Wi-Fi access will be provided through existing infrastructure in civic facilities, where Shaw has installed connection points for its Shaw Go Wi-Fi services.
The City also launched a year-long pilot project in April 2018, which provides free Wi-Fi to Winnipeg Transit passengers on 12 buses servicing various routes throughout the city. At the conclusion of the pilot project, Winnipeg Transit will report back to the Standing Policy Committee on Innovation outlining non-identifiable usage patterns of public Wi-Fi users. More information on the pilot project can be found online at: Wi-fi on buses pilot project.