By Martynas Tovarovas, Wi-Fi NOW Staff Writer
Greece is set to expand its free Wi-Fi network footprint across more archaeological sites and museums, jumping from 14 to a total of 25 locations. It’s an ongoing initiative to highlight Greek history and culture through technology, allowing visitors to enhance their experience and share holiday moments on social media.
Greece is the centrepiece of antiquity that attracts millions of tourists every year, boasting jaw-dropping ruins, temples, countless monuments and statues, and museums that speak of a bygone era. Now people can explore these sites with the convenience of a smartphone as the Greek Ministry of Culture and Sports has renewed its agreements with telco Cosmote (subsidiary of OTE), a company that already offers free Wi-Fi at 14 important cultural sites. Officials say that the free Wi-Fi will also serve as a catalyst for developing new tourism-related infrastructure.
“This is important for the Ministry’s Services, because through the infrastructure OTE is providing, we can implement various telemetric and remote monitoring services, including expansion of the e-ticket service,” said Minister of Culture and Sports, Lina Mendoni.
The Wi-Fi is free for all visitors and provides speeds of up to around 100Mbps. Network engineers have surveyed each location to determine specific requirements for installing Wi-Fi infrastructure, with every decision being made in collaboration with museum authorities. The hardware is specifically adapted to suit location size, surrounding areas, and the profile of each monument. The project is funded as a donation by Cosmote with total investments exceeding €3 million.
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“Cosmote in the context of its overall strategy for sustainable development, realised that Wi-Fi at the archaeological sites and museums of Greece was something of great importance: For the visitors to have a better experience, for enhancing the promotion of Greek history and cultural heritage, and to develop modern digital tools for visitors to enjoy,” said Cosmote spokesperson Aggeliki Makri.
Free Wi-Fi can already be found in the archaeological sites of the Acropolis, Delos, Ancient Thera, Knossos and Delphi. Also Ancient Epidaurus, Ancient Corinth, Spinalonga, the Acropolis and Museum of Mycenae, the National Archaeological Museum, the Byzantine & Christian Museum, the Palace of the Grand Master & Archaeological museum of Rhodes, and archaeological museums in Heraklion, Thessaloniki.
The following locations will now be added to the list: Ancient Olympia, the Lindos Acropolis, the Archaeological site of Sounio, the Royal Tombs of Aigai and the new Museum in Vergina, the Museum of Byzantine Culture, Ancient Dodoni, the Archaeological site of Ancient Nemea, Mystras, the Archaeological site and Museum of Eleutherna, the Fortress of Palamidi, the New Archaeological Museum of Chania.
/Martynas.