20
March
2013
|
17:31
Europe/Amsterdam

El Hierro becomes the world’s first ‘Smart Island’

El Hierro, Canary Islands

El Hierro in the Canary Islands now offers free Wi-Fi access across the entire island, making it the first ‘Smart Island’ in the world.

The Wi-Fi network has been implemented by the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism with the aim of encouraging visitors to use social networks to share their experiences on the island.

There are 26 Wi-Fi access points across El Hierro in towns and residential areas, which are identifiable with signs in English, Spanish and German. Visitors can also connect to the Tourist Information Office and download the app ‘El Hierro is following you’ so they can pinpoint all the access points on the island.

The Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism has aimed to make the project as sustainable as possible, by blending antennas into the landscape using volcanic rocks rather than bricks. Additionally, renewable energy is being used to operate the Wi-Fi in areas of El Hierro that don’t have electricity or 3G access such as El Julan and Cala de Tacoron.

The Wi-Fi network has also been built to help with island management and programmes are in development to monitor traffic, control forest and house fires and manage rubbish and drinking water quality with sensors.

Boilerplate

For more information on the Jameos Music Festival, please visit http://www.cactlanzarote.com/en/jameos-music-festival-2018/

For more information on Lanzarote as a visitor destination, please visit https://turismolanzarote.com/en/