The Current state of Free Wifi in the UK and Ireland

[Earendil]

I'm from Washington State US, and am traveling through London, Wales, and Ireland.
I'm having a really hard time finding free wifi spots just about everywhere I go. I'm having more luck here in Dublin than I usually do, but I'm just wondering, what gives?

I have not traveled the US recently, so I don't know what it is like, but in the Northwest of the US, Notably Seattle, Portland, and every small town in between, free wireless is easy to find. I don't respect a cafe in the US if it doesn't offer free wireless, but that's okay, because 90% of them do.

Portland has an ongoing project to blanket the entire downtown with free wireless, and it is almost done.

So I'm wondering, What gives with London, Cardiff and Dublin? Even my town of 3000 people has wifi at the only cafe. The town next door of 8000 must have 6 free spots in downtown alone.

Is this a cultural thing? No one travels with laptops?
Is the 3G cell network enough for everyone? Is everyone savvy enough to use their phone as a modem?

I'm really curious, as it seems that internet is cheaper over here, of better quality, and yet I'm getting charged an arm and a lag everywhere I go to use it

Just curious, I'm not bashing anyones country or way of life

 

[scotthayes]

Welcome to the UK and the pay for everything culture we have.

To access most hotspots over here you get charged. All the big ones BT Openzone, The Cloud, T-Mobile all seem to charge for access to them, and it's not cheap.

BT Openzone

The Cloud

T-Mobile


Kinda sucks, but I can't moan to much as I get 3000 free minutes each year as part of my BT Broadband package.

 

[j26]

3G modems that you can plug into your laptop are pretty popular in Ireland. Also if you have broadband with Eircom (biggest phone company) you can get free wireless at any of their hotspots around the country (until the end of April anyway)

Travellers get screwed as they have to pay high connection fees.

 

[nazuk]

Some pubs and Bars may have free wi-fi. Don't forget we too have Starbucks. However, free wi-fi is simply virtually non-existent here compared to the States. If you checkout The Cloud (google it) - they provide wi-fi services for a fee using an existing network I believe.

Also, they provide wi-fi for the iPod Touch for £3.99 per month.

 

[nplima]

hi

try the www.fon.com project.

 

[Compile 'em all]

Rule of thumb; Nothing is free in Europe.

I live there.

 

[Markleshark]

Yeah, in a word: Poor.

 

[edesignuk]

Free WiFi here is virtually non-existent. Another reason why the iPhone being only EDGE rather than 3G doesn't fly so well - the argument that you can just hop on a WiFi hotspot doesn't hold up when there aren't any

 

[OllyW]

The only free Wi-Fi I've ever found is outside the Apple Store in the Bullring, Birmingham.

 

[0098386]

The Cloud is free for DS, iPhone and iPod Touch users though. And when I used to frequent Manchester there were many free, public wireless networks. IIRC the town hall has one.

Don't think London=England. Heck even in Saddleworth a few little cafes have free wifi pumping out of them.

 

[edesignuk]

The Cloud is free for DS, iPhone and iPod Touch users though.

Really? I thought the Cloud deal was only for those paying a contract with o2.

 

[orangezorki]

If you have a web n' walk t-mobile tariff, I've heard that paying for the £5 extra option gives you access to all t-mobile hotspots.

 

[0098386]

Really? I thought the Cloud deal was only for those paying a contract with o2.

http://www.thecloud.net/page/3615/ oops, yea it's £3.99 a month.
Ah but it turns out it's just Cloud services in MacDonalds that let you use a DS.

So we're back to the iPhone

 

[OllyW]

Really? I thought the Cloud deal was only for those paying a contract with o2.

The Cloud is £3.99 a month for iPod touch

£6.99 for other single devices & £9.99 for unlimited devices

And of course its free with those amazing iPhone contracts

 

[Abstract]

I don't think the UK (and Europe) is the only place where WiFi isn't free.

I think the free WiFi that Americans get is an exception, rather than the norm around the world.

 

[jSunbeam]

i can only speak for london, because that's where i live

but practically every bar/cafe (not pubs) round here (shoreditch) offers free wi-fi. maybe it's the area i live in, but i'd be really surprised if other areas of london (particularly central) didn't offer free wifi!

if you want specific places in london then by all means PM me and i'll send you the names of some nice cafes/bars!

 

[PowerFullMac]

People here have routers with easy-to-guess passwords most of the time though

 

[scotthayes]

The only free Wi-Fi I've ever found is outside the Apple Store in the Bullring, Birmingham.

Didn't know that, Wondered how some strange looking people were surfing away while I was queueing to buy Leopard. Should have thought about it really.

 

[NATO]

A lot of McDonalds restaurants are now offering free WiFi via TheCloud. You just select the 'TheCloud' WiFi network, it diverts you to a login page, you click the link to say you're connecting from another network and it gives you a McDonalds login page where you tap in a few details and you're logged in. Unfortunately I couldn't find a locator to determine which restaurants offer this service so it's pretty hit-or-miss.

 

[takao]

similiar here too ... free wi-fi connections ? yeah right ...

that said why bother with wi fi if you can have your own connection through a 3G card pretty much everywhere

 

[OllyW]

similiar here too ... free wi-fi connections ? yeah right ...

That's weird, when I was in Kitzbuhel last September, almost all the bars had free wi-fi advertised.

 

[takao]

That's weird, when I was in Kitzbuhel last September, almost all the bars had free wi-fi advertised.

well i suspect it has to do with the fact that Kitzbühel is more something for tourists...

 

[OllyW]

well i suspect it has to do with the fact that Kitzbühel is more something for tourists...

I suppose you are right, I wasn't there to do any work