11 October 2007
The Ministry of Defence has announced that it will provide free wi-fi to service personnel deployed on operations.
Staff will be able to surf the web and contact home without leaving their living accommodation in Iraq and Afghanistan after Gordon Brown announced a new free wi-fi internet service this week.
Secretary of State for Defence Des Browne, said that he was "delighted."
"This improvement to the internet access for our troops adds to the Operational Welfare package available to all those deployed on operations, which includes the provision of TVs, DVD players, radios and 30 minutes of free phone calls per week to anywhere in the world."
Project Mercury, a programme to increase the number of telephones and hard-wired internet machines, is due to complete in December 2007. Work to install the wire-free access will begin immediately afterwards with a view to completion for Easter 2008.