Tesco's free Wi-Fi trial lets you surf as you shop
Supermarket chain Tesco is introducing free Wi-Fi in four of its stores, as part of a trial that could see Tesco shops nationwide flooded with glorious free Internet.
Ubermarket chain Tesco will soon let you browse the Web as you browse the aisles -- it's introducing free Wi-Fi in four of its shops, as part of a trial that could lead to free wireless Internet rolled out to every Tesco in the UK.
The thinking behind it is that you'd be able to stand in the shop and compare prices of stuff using your smart phone -- perhaps using Tesco's grocery app -- or, if you're feeling ambitious, whip out your laptop and get online.
The trial is beginning with just four shops, but free Interwebs could soon turn up in Tesco nationwide. Tesco's superhero-named spokesman Mike McNamara told the Financial Times that the company is already set up to introduce Wi-Fi, so it shouldn't be too difficult to roll out, even though it has thousands of stores in the UK.
He seems like a pretty switched-on fellow: "You can stand Canute-like and pretend nothing is happening... or you can say it's happening, and I am going to help it happen."
But what happens if people start taking the mickey? McNamara says the service could be switched off "if you sit there streaming video forever".
That's a shame, because we're already planning an epic LAN party in the energy drink aisle. Or perhaps we'll watch the BBC's Coast on iPlayer while sat in the freezer section among all the fish fingers...
It's good to see Wi-Fi creeping into more and more parts of the UK. Do any shops near you already offer free Internet? And if so, how good is it? Let us know in the comments, or on our Facebook page.
- For more 21st century shopping help, check out our guide to supermarket apps worth checking out.