UK’s leading landline provider saw more than 400 million connections across its Wi-Fi network in 2012/13 with latest figures showing users’ online Wi-Fi time increasing. An incredible 13 petabytes of data (13 billion megabytes) were consumed across BT’s Wi-Fi network during 2012/13.

Research data from BT and ICM show varying Wi-Fi usage trends among different age groups. Most 18-24s favor Wi-Fi for social media, 35-44 year olds mostly shop online, 45-54s use it for GPS and mapping services, whilst the over 65s crowd rely on Wi-Fi for finding discount vouchers or codes.

Next year, BT plans to launch LTE service relying on its vast Wi-Fi network to provide users with fast Internet access even in places where there’s no 4G signal around.

The infrastructure was rolled out by Transit Wireless, which has a reseller agreement with Boingo Wireless, who provides the Wi-Fi connectivity. Transit Wireless also has agreements with AT&T, T-Mobile, with agreements with Sprint and Verizon in the works. Currently, subterranean cell service is limited to those on AT&T and T-Mobile, but service to Sprint and Verizon customers will be popping up soon.

“This goes beyond providing cell service underground, it brings our customers a new level of security – with the ability to dial 911 in an emergency,” said Acting MTA Chairman Fernando Ferrer. “Customers now know that when they see something, they can now say something using their device to call 911.”

Wi-Fi had been available for a few stations in Chelsea, and the new rollout is just part of MTA’s master plan to rollout Wi-Fi and cellular service to its stations. In phase two of the rollout, Wi-Fi and cellular service will be coming to queens and midtown by 2014, followed by the Bronx and the East Side. The MTA expects all stations to be connected by 2016.

[Via: Cellular News] [Image: Columbus Underground]