The Cloud has been awarded a five-year contract extension with the City of London to provide outdoor wireless broadband services in the Square Mile.

A major upgrade of the Wi-Fi network will now take place, quadrupling the wireless capacity and ensuring more people can take advantage of ready internet access in the capital.

Wi-Fi users in the Square Mile will continue to enjoy free 15 minutes of free connectivity every day, or alternatively 24 hours' access for £2.

Peter Bennett, City Surveyor at the City Corporation, said it is "absolutely essential" to have a modern communications infrastructure if London is to continue as the world's leading financial centre.

"We've been pleased with the service provided by The Cloud since its Wi-Fi network was first installed in 2007, so upgrading the network and extending our relationship was a swift decision to make," he stated.

Vince Russell, Managing Director of The Cloud, commented that the world's leading financial centre both deserves and demands world-class Wi-Fi.

"This upgrade with the latest state of the art technology will ensure that the City of London has the best connectivity for people wanting to use the internet on the go," he added.

The Cloud's recently agreed deals to provide wireless broadband networks for PizzaExpress, Caffe Nero and Nintendo.