In this digital age of technology, internet access is essential – and according to this Ireland-based network security company, millions more companies and communities will have Wifi in the coming year.

Italy is in the lead with 16,407% growth, amounting to a projected 8.24 million public hotspots by 2018. This figure equals out to about one Wifi hotspot per eight Italian citizens.

The only non-European country leading in public Wifi growth is Russia, showing 4,365% growth (1 hotspot per 19 people).

The European Union is planning to introduce free Wifi to every one of their municipalities by 2020, costing about $128 million. Every European household is projected to achieve a minimum download speed of at least 100 megabytes per second, while hospitals and public service spaces are to achieve an uploading and downloading speed of 1 gigabyte per second.

The EU also plans to deploy continent-wide 5G network access by 2025.

"We need to work for a Europe that empowers our citizens and our economy," says Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission. "Today, both have gone digital. Digital technologies and digital communications are permeating every aspect of life. All they require is access to high-speed internet. We need to be connected. Our economy needs it. People need it."

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