FREE Wi-Fi could soon be coming to Andover in a bid to encourage more people to come to the town.

Andover BID is looking to introduce a state-of-the-art system which will allow visitors to enjoy free Wi-Fi whilst also accurately measuring footfall as people leave and enter the town.

The first stage of planning the rollout took place last week as a presentation was delivered to BID members. Steve Godwin, BID manager, explains a bit more about the system.

He said: “Free Wi-Fi for users is always attractive and when a person enters the zone, ‘Totally Free Wi-Fi’ will pop up on their mobile device. They will then be able to register for a free account through a simple form or social media login.

“The Wi-Fi will be completely free for use by all visitors, shoppers, traders and workers within the BID geographical area of the town.

“As well as getting everyone connected, by offering free Wi-Fi we can ensure that users are made aware of BID member promotions.

“Andover town centre offers a wide range of shops, a range of leisure facilities including a new leisure centre, an excellent theatre, a bowling alley, a cinema and a library. Having the ability to offer free Wi-Fi is a significant step in further meeting our visitor needs as well as providing new opportunities for local businesses to reach out to customers in a coordinated way.

“It is so important in this age of social media and online communities. Giving visitors free Wi-Fi in the town centre provides a positive experience and a big benefit for everyone coming into the centre.

“Businesses including retailers, pubs and restaurants and leisure facilities will have the ability to promote anything they are doing including promotions, offers and loyalty schemes.

“Once we have a fully digitally connected town, we can do so much more to enhance the visitor experience.”