With e-mail and internet access now considered as pivotal a communication tool as cellphones, hotels and popular South Africa holiday spots are beginning to provide instant, cheap, high-speed access to the internet. But because finding these so-called WiFi hotspots has until now been a major detective exercise, a new web portal with precise hotspot location and support information has been launched.
The new WiFi portal, called MyWiFi, is the first hotspot finder in South Africa, covering all the regions where WiFi access is available, including cost and easy instructions on how to access services.
WiFi is a new wireless technology that allows users to access the internet wherever a corresponding WiFi base station provides coverage, up to a 100m radius. All the user needs is a palmtop, laptop or PC with a built-in or plug-in WiFi device. Most older laptops and palmtops can be retrofitted with WiFi for under R600.
With the legalisation of WiFi in South Africa in October 2003, the pace of hotpot installation has picked up remarkably with more than 150 installed by mid-December. And more than 1 500 hotspots are estimated to roll out countrywide by mid-2004. This mirrors the explosive growth in hotspots in Europe and the United States at popular venues such as McDonald’s, Starbucks and Burger King.
WiFi access is far cheaper than using cellphones to access the internet, with many digital camera users on holiday now using WiFi to send off dozens of their own picture postcards to friends around the world.
Visitors to MyWiFi can search by province for their nearest hotspot, in addition to downloading free software that makes their WiFi access more secure and streamlined. GPS coordinates for some local hotspots are also available.
In South Africa, WiFi hotspots operated by companies such as M-Web, Datapro, Wireless G and Telkom provide instant wireless access to the internet at popular locations like Mugg and Bean coffee shops, Holiday Inns, airports, Protea hotels, Intercontinental hotels, the V&A Waterfront and marina, major golf courses and major shopping centres including Sandton Square and Sandton City, as well as numerous other restaurants, bed-and-breakfast establishments, shops and apartment complexes.
Accessing WiFi is very easy. Users simply pick up the WiFi signal almost instantly from the hotspot transmitter and type in a user name and password. If they are M-Web members, they get 20 free WiFi hours per month.
Telkom’s WiFi T-Zones, now available at many Holiday Inns and Protea hotels, are free during the current test period for anyone who registers. Many coffee shops also provide free WiFi access with any purchase.
MyWifi is also aimed at the wholesale WiFi market, providing guidance for anyone who wants to set up a hotspot in their premises as a paid-for service or as a marketing tool for attracting clients to their premises.