The installation of Canberra's free wireless internet network has been delayed because of wiring problems inside city light poles, but more than 30,000 users have already logged onto the service.
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Information provided to the Legislative Assembly by Chief Minister Andrew Barr this month shows the take up of the city-wide free service has doubled from 15,000 users in October 2014 and the government expects patronage to continue to grow.
Mr Barr said delays in the installation process had been caused by the need to upgrade the existing wiring inside light poles on which outdoor wireless internet access points are mounted.
"Co-ordinating the rollout of [the network] with Roads ACT's street light upgrade program, to maximise the cost effectiveness, has had scheduling challenges," Mr Barr said.
"The rollout ... to Dickson, Belconnen and Manuka was completed in October 2015. The government is aiming to have the rollout to Tuggeranong and Kingston completed by March 2016 and the full rollout of CBRfree by the end of the 2015-16 financial year."
The $3.1 million network has been described as the largest free public Wi-Fi system in Australia.
Free internet is already available in Belconnen, Dickson and Manuka as well the eastern part of the city, including from Garema Place to the Convention Centre, up to Gorman House and to Girrahween Street in Braddon. In the city's west, internet is live from Northbourne Avenue to Barry Drive and across to the Australian National University and around to the New Acton precinct.
Log on points have also been installed indoor at about 50 business and community locations, including Exhibition Park, the Tuggeranong basketball stadium and at Stromlo Forest Park. The government's Digital Canberra Unit is planning for free Wi-Fi to be provided at next year's Enlighten festival, after 10 connection points were available at Floriade this year.
Public spaces in Gungahlin, Weston Creek, Woden and Bruce are expected to be online by the end of June 2016. The network will also be used as a communications network for the government's smart parking trial at the Manuka shops from the new year.
The network gives users access to 250 megabytes of downloads a day.
Last week the government announced free internet would be available to passengers on five ACTION buses as part of a 12-month trial. Buses running across Canberra will include signs notifying passengers that Wi-Fi is available.
Mr Barr said the Digital Canberra Unit had been transferred from the government strategy section of the Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate to the innovation, trade and investment section.
The network had originally been planned as part of the government's Digital Canberra action plan which is now in an implementation phase.
He said the innovation and trade branch "has close links with industry and Canberra's innovation community, which is of value in implementing the Digital Canberra action plan".
The ACT public service got its first chief digital officer in 2015 as the government appointed Jon Cumming to report directly to territory Head of Service Kathy Leigh.
