Telkom’s T-Zone WiFi hotspot pilot launched in September with Southern Sun Hotels has now been extended to hotels and conference centres in major South African cities, as the company ramps up its drive to introduce a commercial WiFi service early next year.
Telkom’s chief sales and marketing officer, Nombulelo Moholi, said the pilot is providing useful information about usage patterns and technical aspects of the service that Telkom will use to fine-tune the T-Zone service in preparation for its commercial launch.
Telkom is offering its T-Zone service free of charge during the pilot. Current Telkom ADSL users can simply log in with their ADSL username and password and surf away. Non-ADSL users are also given free access. They must set the SSID on the wireless network interface to “telkom”, open their browser and point to a website. The browser will be diverted to a login page and invite the user to register. Telkom will SMS the username and password, which will provide two hours of free access. After the two hours expire, users of the service may register again.
“One of the unique pilot sites is at BJ’s, the restaurant spanning the N1 between Johannesburg and Pretoria. It affords frustrated motorists stuck in peak hour traffic the opportunity to relax over a cup of tea or coffee and do their e-mails and surf the web while keeping an eye on the traffic below,” said Moholi.
Many hotels at holiday destinations have also been added to the list. The following sites have already been activated:
Johannesburg/Sandton
InterContinental Sandton Sun and Towers
Crown Plaza Johannesburg — Sandton
InterContinental Palazzo Johannesburg — Montecasino
Holiday Inn Johannesburg International airport
Sandton Convention Centre
Vodaworld Midrand House of Coffees
Vodacom Corporate Park Midrand
BJ’s Midrand N1 Star Stop
Protea Hotel African Pride Melrose Arch
Protea Hotel Parktonian, Braamfontein
Tshwane
Protea Hotel Waterfront Centurion
Durban/Pietermaritzburg
Beverly Hills Hotel Umhlanga Rocks
Holiday Inn Durban Elangeni
Holiday Inn Garden Court Durban — Marine Parade
Protea Hotel Edward Durban
Protea Hotel Imperial Pietermaritzburg
Port Elizabeth
Protea Hotel Edward
George
Fancourt Manor House and Conference Centre
Fancourt Business Centre
Protea Hotel King George
Cape Town
Holiday Inn Cape Town (Strand Street)
Holiday Inn Cape Town — Waterfront
The Cullinan Hotel
Holiday Inn Garden Court Cape Town — Newlands