Canterbury Cathedral turns to Purple Wifi

CANTERBURY Cathedral has turned to a Manchester company to make sure it does not fall into the same trap as Chester Cathedral, which pulled the plug on its public WiFi access after it emerged that gambling and pornography websites could be accessed by users.

The historic cathedral has hired Purple WiFi, to deliver a secure and legal social WiFi system solution to visitors of its new café.

Purple WiFi is also a member of the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), and blocks all IWF blacklisted URLs. It also allows venues to block certain content – i.e. porn and illegal content, essential for public venues such as cathedrals, universities, hospitals and housing associations.

Gavin Wheeldon, chief executive of Purple WiFi said: “People expect free online access at public venues and businesses wherever they are. But the industry has a responsibility to make sure that these venues are aware of legal compliance issues.

“At Purple WiFi, we make sure our venue customers can be safe in the knowledge that their WiFi is secure and meets industry best practice.”

Bosses at Chester Cathedral axed the free public WiFi service in December 2013 after an investigation by the local newspaper revealed users were able to access hardcore material.