Matteo Renzi answers a reader’s query about internet access in Florence

Matteo Renzi answers a reader’s query about internet access in Florence

Dear Matteo Renzi, I am a retired civil servant living on a pension and this vacation is very likely a ‘once-in-a-lifetime event’ for us. I, probably more than other retirees, and the members of my family have become quite dependent on our electronic devices. We

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Wed 11 Sep 2013 10:00 PM

Dear Matteo Renzi,

I am a retired civil servant living on a pension and this vacation is very likely a ‘once-in-a-lifetime event’ for us. I, probably more than other retirees, and the members of my family have become quite dependent on our electronic devices. We were delighted to see that the Firenze Card—prominently promoted by the City of Florence—promised a wide network of wi-fi locations and a number of ‘infopoints’ for assistance. My family and I have been on the card for two days, and have yet to successfully access the wi-fi service for which we paid or to get effective service from the ‘infopoints’ we have visited.

 

The first infopoint issued us our prepaid card and advised us that we could use our Firenze Card number as our username and our password issued on our wi-fi card—we had difficulty from the beginning and at our next opportunity, which was the Palazzo Vecchio infopoint, we stopped and asked for help. The person there asked if our wi-fi had been ‘activated’, which we didn’t know, so we provided her with our Firenze Card, wi-fi cards and passports. She assured us that now it would work. We tried at a couple of wi-fi locations and could still not use the service. While my family was at lunch near the Bigallo infopoint I went to inquire again and was told that our wi-fi access had to be activated again: all documents were required from each of us and I was told that all the previous advice had been wrong and that a new username and password would be issued to us. Even though there was a strong ‘FirenzeWiFi’ signal, we were told that we couldn’t access the service there, but that we had to go to piazza della Signoria to try our new access coordinates.

 

I protested very strongly about the loss of two days of access that I had paid for and asked for a refund. One of the people made a call and said that the cost of my cards would be refunded, and that I could say that the infopoint promised me a refund. I, quite reasonably I think, asked for something in writing to confirm that they had arranged for the refund, but was refused.

 

May I say that the level of incompetence by these infopoint personnel in managing the wi-fi service is unacceptable. I do think that each did their best, but had not received proper training. Please insure that my refund promise is honored, and provide effective resources to these front-line employees so that they don’t have to deal with irritated tourists like me.

 

Thank you for your attention to my problem.

 

Nathan Powell

 

 

Dear Mr. Powell,

I am sorry to hear of the problems you encountered with the wi-fi connection of the Florence Card during your time in Florence. The technical staff has informed me this was due to the Bigallo hotspot being temporarily down on the day of your visit. Since this service was launched we have been able to connect 7 000 users to wi-fi with the Florence Card and we have been notified about very few problems. The Card is having much success: in August we registered the 1 000 000th museum visit and on Ferragosto (August 15) we sold the 150 000th Card.

The best news of all is that, beginning on September 6, wi-fi in Florence became free.

We hope your travels will bring you back to our city soon!

Best wishes, Matteo Renzi

 

 

Those interested in writing to the mayor can send messages and comments via email to redazione@theflorentine.net, stating ‘Write to the Mayor’ in the subject line of the email. Emails must clearly state the author’s first name, surname, city and country of birth, and the city and country of residence.

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