Brighton and Hove has become the country's most switched on city with the completion of its own wireless internet service via a new super fast system.

There is now no Brighton resident or business more than ten minutes away from a fast internet wireless access point through the system known as WiMax.

It follows the completion of the Brighton Metranet, which has bought 30% of the city within a massive wireless broadband infrastructure.

Completion of the system will encourage Brighton and Hove City Council to enter the Government's "E City" competition, where cities who have made efforts to encourage internet access and technology compete with each other.

The winner of the competition, for which the Government has allocated a £10 million promotional budget, will have the kudos of being the country's most switched on city.

Bill Parslow, head of Information Communication Technology at the council, said: "Some schools and council buildings will continue to use cable connections to the internet but now with the opportunity of WiMax, there are few spots in the city without internet access.

The possibilities are endless. We now covered by one single system and it means there is no need for one building to go on to another internet provider.

"There are a lot of businesses in the electronic learning world in Brighton and this will be a tremendous boost to them. They will be able to send material to schools immediately via Metranet.

"We have reason to claim we are the country's most switched on city."