Eircom eyes four-fold increase in Wi-Fi hotspots

Irish former monopoly Eircom is looking to quadruple its network of Wi-Fi hotspots from 1,000 presently to 4,000 by 2013. The incumbent, which is in talks with lenders to resolve its pressing financial problems, says the move is driven by strong uptake of smartphones and tablets in the country. The 4,000 hotspots are expected to have been deployed by 2013 with a particular focus on high density population areas. A spokesman for the telco told SiliconRepublic that the 4,000 hotspots will be connected to Eircom’s backhaul network, as well as its next generation broadband network.