I'm all in favour of free public wifi, but it will need to be administered very well...
Two biggies imho:
* security
* bandwidth hogs (should people be able to download torrents or tv shows?)
Perhaps 15 mins free every hour at 'sensible speed' would be enough for most users to update Facebook and check emails.
Taking the burden form the state and passing it to the public sector seems very sensible.
5* hotels that offer free wifi in the lobby and bar but paid internet access in the room is most annoying.
If you know where to go,you can already get free wifi in many parts of Hong Kong: See Gov HK Wifi.
Perhaps one reason it is not extended is the likes of PCCW don't want their profits to be hurt.
Sorry, I misread KL for Kowloon, not Kuala Lumpur.
Last edited by drumbrake; 06-01-2012 at 08:02 PM.
Au contraire - PCCW got paid to put the system in for the government and piggy backed their own system on it in all those hard to get locations not open to other operators.
Hong Kong already has one of the most competitive and cheapest telecom industries in the world (source OFTA) - why the <expletive> are government spending taxpayer dollars to provide a free for when I already pay for an unlimited broadband package?
Handy for tourists, sure - but hey, I'm the one paying...