World Wi-Fi Day: June 20

For the first time, this year will have a World Wi-Fi Day. Monday, June 20, has been designated as World Wi-Fi Day, an initiative of the Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA). The Alliance includes Comcast, AT&T, Cisco, Google, and 70 other members around the world. The aim of World Wi-Fi Day is ‘to recognise and celebrate the significant role Wi-Fi is playing in getting cities and communities around the world connnected.’

The WBA is focusing its World Wi-Fi Day on its ‘HOPE for Connectivity Charter’ which calls for funding Wi-Fi deployments to unconnected communities globally, to provide affordable Wi-Fi access for the communities in both rural and urban areas, adn to recognize the role of Wi-Fi in addressing the digital divide.

The global project will be celebrated by events and free Wi-Fi in participating countries and cities. Some of these participating cities include New York, San Francisco, and Palo Alto in America, Calgary in Canada, New Delhi in India, Dublin in Ireland, and Canberra in Australia.

Wi-Fi is short for ‘wireless fixed’ which was partially invented in Australia by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) in 1992 and patented in 1996.

June 20 is also the Solstice, as well as National Ice Cream Soda Day, Plain Yoghurt Day, National Vanilla Milkshake Day, and Juggling Day in America. Globally June 20 is also World Humanist Day and International Surfing Day.

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/technology/technology-news/telstra-free-wifi-is-happening-all-weekend-20160616-gpksx5.html

MARTINA NICOLLS is the author of:- The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).

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