Wifinity already offers WiFi in 55 barracks and bases around the UK and Germany, providing nearly 35,000 service personnel with a low cost and convenient way of getting online. The addition of the Defence Academy marks a major milestone in the progress of the company to provide wireless Internet coverage to the UK Armed Forces.
As well as offering recreational WiFi at the site Wifinity have also agreed to provide business grade WiFi in a number of the academic areas of the academy on behalf of Cranfield University.
Aubone Tennant, Joint CEO of Wifinity said: “The completion of the Defence Academy is a major step forward for Wifinity. The site is one of the most prestigious and well-known military training facilities in the world.”
“Delivering this project in partnership with Serco and the staff of the Defence Academy has been great for Wifinity as it has given us experience of working with a major global business. It puts us in a good position to work with other property and MOD Regional Prime Contractors in the future.”
The Defence Academy of the United Kingdom provides high quality and relevant education and training to Defence personnel. Education and training is delivered through long and short courses, seminars, workshops and distance learning. With its Headquarters located in Shrivenham, Wiltshire, the campus covers 150 acres, comprising of over 45 academic and accommodation buildings. The Academy works in conjunction with three strategic partners – Serco, King’s College London and Cranfield.
In the Academic Year 2011/12, the Defence Academy delivered over 410,000 ‘student days’ of face-to-face education and training to nearly 26,000 students.
Wing Commander Derek Grimsley, CIO of the Defence Academy, said: "Wifinity have provided, at no cost to the Defence Academy, an important amenity wifi service that provides great benefit to the campus. A key requirement was a flexible service that would be available to students whether they were here for a few days or for several months and Wifinity's easy to access, pay-as-you-go model provided an excellent fit."