BT street hubs with free wifi could be coming to Hemel Hempstead after planning submitted

New ‘street hubs’ from BT – which provide free wi-fi, phone charging and emergency calls – could be built in six locations across Hemel Hempstead.

The telecommunications giant plans to remove existing phone boxes and replace them with hubs. If its planning application to the council is successful, hubs could be built near the BP petrol station on Breakspear Way, Costa Coffee on Maylands Avenue, the footpath next to Hemel Hempstead’s B&M, outside Carphone Warehouse and opposite Mayfair Fitted Furniture on Marlowes.

The hubs, which are already in Birmingham, Nottingham and Sheffield, would provide residents free wi-fi, phone charging and free emergency calls. They can also offer air quality monitoring for local authorities.

A BT spokesperson said: “We are currently exploring where Street Hubs could be introduced in Hemel Hempstead and have submitted applications for six potential sites where they could be effectively introduced.”

They added: “We believe visitors, residents and businesses in the area would benefit from the improved functionality offered by Street Hubs including free ultra-fast WiFi, rapid device charging and the ability to be fitted with mobile signal boosting 4G and 5G cells.”

The hubs will have adverts on either side – BT says that it is gifting small businesses over £7 million in advertising space on the hubs to support them in the current economic circumstances. Powered by carbon-free, renewable energy, the street hubs can also offer air quality, noise and traffic monitoring for local authorities. They can also display community and emergency awareness messaging on its boards.