City centre shoppers can now benefit from free wi-fi, thanks to Hull’s leading retail and leisure destination. St Stephen’s shopping centre will this week be launching a new free wi-fi service, enabling shoppers to surf the net while they shop, drink or enjoy a meal.

In partnership with BT, shoppers at St Stephen’s will now have access to free wi-fi on their smartphones, tablets and laptops to browse the web, use apps and check social networking sites within the centre. Shoppers can use free BT wi-fi anywhere within the Centre by selecting it from their network connection options and simply registering once to access the service by opening their browser and filling in their details. They can stream videos on the go, ‘check in’ on Facebook, and upload images of their new purchases, or even Tweet followers for fashion advice.

Jim Harris, Centre Manager at St Stephen’s comments: “The way we shop has changed dramatically over the past few years – over half of us now use a tablet or smartphone when out and about . Access to wi-fi has been one of the most requested services at St Stephen’s and it’s a great way of enhancing the shopping experience, allowing people to visit stores online, read product reviews and socialise with friends online. It also gives retailers an opportunity to tell shoppers about offers and special events.”

Andy Baker, CEO, BT Wi-fi, said: “BT research  shows 54% of shoppers actively look for a wi-fi hotspot.  We are delighted to be working with St Stephen’s provide a free wi-fi service to meet this demand.”

St Stephen’s was recently crowned the UK’s Retail Destination of the Year 2013 in the Oracle Retail Week awards. Jim says: “This latest service is all part of our drive at St Stephen’s to give shoppers an excellent customer experience.” 

To get online at the centre, search for ‘BTWifi St Stephen’s’ on your smartphone or tablet. To find out more visit www.ststephens-hull.com