Brussels - The European Parliament agreed on Tuesday to a proposal by the commission that foresees spending 120 million euros (143.5 million dollars) on improving wi-fi access in public.
The commission is looking to make more free highspeed internet connections available in public places such as parks, squares, libraries, train stations, bus terminals and hospitals by 2020.
Local communities can apply for a grant from the EU for equipment and installation, but will have to pay for the connectivity and the maintenance and commit to offer the service for at least three years.
The funding can only be used for wireless access points that do not use advertising or benefit from the commercial use of personal data.
"All Europeans should have access to good-quality wi-fi connections, no matter where they live or how much they earn," the European Parliament negotiator on the subject, Carlos Zorrinho of the Socialists and Democrats (S&D) group, said.
