Comments on: Public wifi - how could it get so bad? http://stabell.org/2007/10/04/wifi-woes/ agile software development, python programming, entrepreneurship, life in china Thu, 20 Nov 2008 09:59:11 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.12-alpha by: Chee Ming http://stabell.org/2007/10/04/wifi-woes/#comment-6800 Fri, 05 Oct 2007 16:35:35 +0000 http://stabell.org/2007/10/04/wifi-woes/#comment-6800 <p>Seems like there is a lot of opportunity for Internet Service Providers to create a good user experience. But seems nobody is doing it? No money to be made here?</p> Seems like there is a lot of opportunity for Internet Service Providers to create a good user experience. But seems nobody is doing it? No money to be made here?

]]> by: Bjørn http://stabell.org/2007/10/04/wifi-woes/#comment-6781 Fri, 05 Oct 2007 02:44:49 +0000 http://stabell.org/2007/10/04/wifi-woes/#comment-6781 <p>I'm in Singapore now. After spending 30+ minutes on the phone with SingTel reps it seems like the service they advertise everywhere (call *186 to get a SG@Wireless username + password) is completely unknown to the organization, and is not implemented. The web form to send feedback has a broken URL, so it doesn't work. After 25 hours my application for a subscription still hasn't gone through, and nobody seems to know how long it'll take, or if it has failed. Completely clueless. I'm online now through a borrowed username + password.</p> <p>Another interesting tid-bit about Singapore; some places seem to think electricity is too expensive to allow guests to plug in their laptops. I've been told to plug into a different socket in the corridor as that's not being paid for by the restaurant in question. Some places deny laptop users to plug in altogether.</p> <p>Anyways. Now that I'm on a borrowed SG@Wireless account I can at least be online with the laptop. Singnet's wifi coverage area is pretty good.</p> I’m in Singapore now. After spending 30+ minutes on the phone with SingTel reps it seems like the service they advertise everywhere (call *186 to get a SG@Wireless username + password) is completely unknown to the organization, and is not implemented. The web form to send feedback has a broken URL, so it doesn’t work. After 25 hours my application for a subscription still hasn’t gone through, and nobody seems to know how long it’ll take, or if it has failed. Completely clueless. I’m online now through a borrowed username + password.

Another interesting tid-bit about Singapore; some places seem to think electricity is too expensive to allow guests to plug in their laptops. I’ve been told to plug into a different socket in the corridor as that’s not being paid for by the restaurant in question. Some places deny laptop users to plug in altogether.

Anyways. Now that I’m on a borrowed SG@Wireless account I can at least be online with the laptop. Singnet’s wifi coverage area is pretty good.

]]> by: Terence Parker http://stabell.org/2007/10/04/wifi-woes/#comment-6772 Thu, 04 Oct 2007 10:06:49 +0000 http://stabell.org/2007/10/04/wifi-woes/#comment-6772 <ul> <li>I must give credit to Chinese wi-fi operators though ; at least they try. In Hong Kong there are too many competing commercial services - one is unlikely to subscribe to all of them, and when paying $30HKD for a coffee one would hope to get it free. Singapore is better: StarHub roaming users get free use of wi-fi in Coffee Bean outlets... but on principal it's still not free.</li> </ul> <p>Yes, most wi-fi in China sucks ... having CDMA available as a backup is definitely handy!</p>
  • I must give credit to Chinese wi-fi operators though ; at least they try. In Hong Kong there are too many competing commercial services - one is unlikely to subscribe to all of them, and when paying $30HKD for a coffee one would hope to get it free. Singapore is better: StarHub roaming users get free use of wi-fi in Coffee Bean outlets… but on principal it’s still not free.

    • Yes, most wi-fi in China sucks … having CDMA available as a backup is definitely handy!

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