Courtrooms all over the country have been fitted with Wi-Fi hotspots in a bid to provide barristers and solicitors with access to "legal reference material".
The service will also be open to jurors, victims and defendants, although all will be subject to an access charge.
"HMCS recognises that going to court as a victim, witness or juror can be disruptive for many people who may need to keep in touch with their business, work or family during the day," said courts minister Maria Eagle. We await with anticipation the first case of contempt for accessing Facebook from the dock.
The service was funded by Her Majesty's Courts Service, which will in turn receive a percentage of income generated by the BT Openzone hotspots.
A range of payment options are available for Openzone hotspots, although BT Total Broadband customers are entitled to use the service at no cost.
Openzone currently has 3,000 hotspots around the country, as well as those created by its 95,000 BT FON Wi-Fi community members.
