Sports field with goal posts and houses in the distanceee

GovWifi Activation

GovWifi is a new guest wireless service which is designed to work across many public sector locations. GMCA has decided to adopt the service which will provide an improved Guest wireless service across all GMFRS and GMCA locations.

To use the service you need to register for an account using the signup details below.

How to get online

Register

GovWifi provides free, secure wifi.

If you have a government email address, you can connect by sending a blank email to signup@wifi.service.gov.uk.

Anyone can text 'Go' to 07537 417 417 to get connected.

Get a unique username and password to use on all of your devices, connect once, access govwifi whenever you see the sign. 

Connect to the service

Locate the wifi network settings on your device and choose the ‘GovWifi’ connection.

Enter your credentials

Once GovWifi is selected, you will be prompted to enter the credentials sent to you during the registration.

Validate your certificate

You will then be presented with a certificate screen which you will need to validate.

  1. Check that the issuing service is ‘wifi.service.gov.uk’
  2. Check that the ‘certificate is still valid’
  3. Select ‘Trust’

It will take a few seconds to connect and then you will see the active GovWifi connection.

 

  • GMCA staff are not required to do anything to their corporate devices including mobile phones and laptops – they will continue using our staff networks when in our buildings.
  • However, when GMCA staff go to other public services’ sites, they will increasingly find that GovWifi is the default guest network.
  • Digital Services will continue to dual run our current Guest Wifi for a period to allow Guest users (such as councillors) to transition to the new service.

 

  • Guests arriving at the GMCA/FRS who already have GovWifi logins will be able to connect automatically to our Wifi in each building they visit
  • GMCA/FRS staff arriving at other public sector sites in both GM and nationally will find that GovWifi is available and will be able to connect automatically, once registered
  • GovWifi is available to members of the public. It will become available not only at our sites but also at libraries, GP surgeries etc enabling more people to get online in lots of different places with only one set of login details.
  • It will remove admin for our organisation when expecting visitors
  • It is more secure for us than using a single Guest password, or ‘pre-shared key’ because it will be possible to identify people who are using our Guest Wifi inappropriately

Terms of connection

Internet access is passing through the GMCA content filtering as per the standard corporate internet access with one exception that personal email is permitted. In accepting the terms of connection to the GovWifi service you will be agreeing to the acceptable use policy on this page. 

If you require any further assistance, please contact the ICT Service Desk on 0161 608 4425 or log your call via the Self Service Portal.

GovWifi Terms of Service

This Wi-Fi network allows access to the internet by authorised guests of GMCA, and allows guests to access the internet provided that they:

  • Comply with current UK legislation at all times.
  • Use the internet in an acceptable way.
  • Do not create unnecessary business risk to GMCA by their misuse of the internet.
  • Do not share their guest logon credentials with other individuals.

In particular the following is deemed unacceptable use or behaviour by guests of GMCA:

  • Visiting internet sites that contain obscene, hateful, pornographic or otherwise illegal material.
  • Using the computer to perpetrate any form of fraud, or software, film or music piracy.
  • Using the internet to send offensive or harassing material, or spam to other users.
  • Downloading or copying of commercial software or any copyrighted materials belonging to third parties, unless this download is covered or permitted under a commercial agreement or other such licence.
  • Hacking into unauthorised areas or attempting to access websites on which you are not an authorised user.
  • Publishing defamatory and/or knowingly false material.

Use of GMCA’s Wi-Fi network may be monitored and logged and kept for an appropriate amount of time. Logs are taken for reasons of security, diagnostics, record keeping, preventing or detecting unauthorised use of GMCA network and systems, compliance with legal obligations, prevention and detection of criminal activities, account/audit reasons as well as maintaining the effective operation of GMCA's Wi-Fi communications network.

Logs are available only to authorised systems personnel and kept for no longer than necessary and in line with current data protection guidelines. Monitoring will only be undertaken by authorised personnel within GMCA’s Information Management Department. The monitoring may be either proactive or reactive depending on the nature of the reason for the need to monitor use of the Wi-Fi network. GMCA will take the necessary steps to ensure that any monitoring performed by GMCA of its Wi-Fi network is reasonable and proportionate to the reason or need for the monitoring.

GMCA may use any information it receives via any monitoring process to investigate any claims of breach of these terms, or any law and to terminate access to the Wi-Fi network or to instigate appropriate legal proceedings as may be appropriate.