XLN quietly creates UK’s biggest free WiFi network

Founded in 2002, XLN Telecom can now boast the largest free public WiFi network in the UK with 20,000 enabled customers.

Their aim is to establish the UK’s biggest WiFi network for small businesses at no cost to the business owner.

Already XLN has 2,000 SMEs switched on to their service and providing free WiFi. They say there are a further 15,000 to set up soon.

A remote chance of free WiFi

The number of people working remotely has been on the rise for some time, which means many turning to venues such as coffee shops for an office-away-from-the-office workplace.

With corporate chains such as Starbucks and Costa Coffee offering free WiFi it puts pressure on smaller enterprises to do the same. But a recent investigation by the BBC revealed many smaller, independent café owners are divided over the expectation to offer free WiFi.

MoreSky to launch high street ‘hubs’

One café owner was reported as saying: “I have to be careful not to be seen as a virtual office. Because I can’t pay that, I can’t afford that.”

Backing the High Street is where it’s at

This is where XLN comes in. Their package not only offers a WiFi service at no cost to the business owner but because the WiFi is activated remotely using a café’s existing router and equipment, there is no need for an engineer or pay any call-out fees.

Founder of XLN, CEO Christian Nelleman said: “We’re going to create the single biggest small business WiFi network in the UK, and we’re going to WiFi enable every British high street, it’s as simple as that.

“This will give customers more reasons to choose small, independent businesses over corporate giants and that means more support for independent high streets as a whole.

“For anyone that cares about their local high street, this is massive.”