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Q&A: Wifi explained

Wireless hotspots are spreading across the UK, with blanket wi-fi zones now being rolled out in nine urban centres. Operators are promising wireless surfing at the touch of a button from the park, the bus or the street corner. So what does the wireless future have to offer and will it live up to the hype?

What is wi-fi?

Wi-fi is the acronym for Wireless Fidelity, essentially a set of standards for transmitting data over a wireless network.

Wi-fi allows you to connect to the net at broadband speeds without cables, as long as you have the right equipment and, in most cases, a regular internet service provider and a wi-fi account.

To understand the technology behind wi-fi, imagine using a walkie-talkie. Your voice is picked up by a microphone, encoded onto a radio frequency and transmitted with the antenna to another walkie-talkie, which decodes your voice. BBC NEWS | Technology | Q&A: Wi-fi explained

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