Telecommunications firm Freerunner, led by Owen Geddes of The Cloud fame, announced its plans to provide discounted WiFi to commercial venues and free WiFi access points to community-based venues across the UK. The company’s objective is to improve the broadband coverage in remote and deprived areas.

Freerunner is funding 50 free-to-use hotspots in local communities across the UK. The company has invited applications asking people to suggest accessible areas where they need hotpots. In addition, Freerunner has clubbed with web-based charity portal JustGiving.com to give free WiFi to 500 charity locations in the UK.

According to CEO Geddes, internet access is a basic right of people for working equally in today’s society, and this right is not being made available to all. He suggested that this scheme would help realize the dream of connecting the entire nation with at least 2Mb broadband. He said the Freerunner team is on stand-by to install the first 50 hotspots across the remotest areas of the UK. He added that the company is trying to find commercial sponsors for other future locations.

People wishing to request hotspots are required to send an email to connectmenow@freerunr.com, specifying in not more than150 words the reason for the connection and the venue of their choice. People who do not have access to the internet can call 0800 860 0815.

Applicants whose hotspot requests are approved will be informed by October 1, 2009 and the list will be displayed on the Freerunner website.

If you require more information on either broadband or mobile broadband, a good place to check out is the independent consumer website Broadband Genie. They offer information and free advice, and have some really good rants and raves from consumers on the ISP’s. It’s a good site to get started on the internet with the free laptop and broadband offers from all the various service providers.