Free wifi in New Zealand
Why is it that we don’t get free wifi access in New Zealand? The closest to free we had was with the Telecom wifi hotspots that you find at all Starbucks stores, free if you’re a Telecom broadband customer. I must confess that was one of the reasons I used Telecom broadband.
A few months ago, all that stopped when Telecom got SmartPay to manage the wifi network. They changed the boring but functional “Telecom wifi” brand to “Fivo” and took the opportunity to start charging $10 per hour for wifi. Is that ridiculous or what?
I was at Westfield St Lukes the other day, and while waiting for my car to be serviced at the AA across the road, I figured I could just do some work at the mall. Seeing almost everything I need is hosted online, all I need is pretty much an internet connection. I enquired at the info desk and got told that there’s only ONE wifi hotspot at St Lukes, at the Starbucks. I thought I could avoid having to pay the $10 / hour, but no such luck.
I figured I would give the new Fivo a try. But the darn thing just wouldn’t work. I gave up after two attempts at buying credit online. I called the 0800 number, and got told that the online purchase of credits doesn’t work.
In Malaysia, malls offer free wifi as a service for parents/husbands/boyfriends. That way they don’t have to stand around waiting but engage in more productive activities, like online gaming, surfing the net etc. It also means that the kids/wives/girlfriends can go on prolonged guilt-free shopping trips.
Now that’s an idea.
Given the fact that broadband is pretty cheap anyway, why is it that New Zealand malls can’t do the same? Surely it would be well worth the investment…
I agree. It will be more entertaining for the guys while us ladies take our time shopping around.
Anyway, we are definately behind times as usual…might take another 10 years.
Hey Ken,
Good topic! As you know Connie (who used to work for Telecom) was visiting me here in Seattle and she was amazed at the amount of free WIFI there is – it is everywhere. Every small coffee shop, even on buses! Then of course having unlimited internet on my phone as well for an extra $20 a month as well makes it even better! I think NZ is well behind the times on this, WIFI everywhere makes life great, and you know, I do go down to the local coffee shop to write for a change of pace, so they get an extra customer. Everywhere you go there are people having meetings and planning in coffee shops with their laptops out. Love it!
Hi Ken
I totally agree with you. Ever since I got to NZ I couldn’t believe the lack of hot spots in Auckland… and the ones that existed were all paid, like at Esquires, where you get one hour free with your first coffee. That is if you can convince the clerk to get give you the card.
In Santiago, Chile, where I’m originally from, basically any public place (subway station, mall, fastfood shop etc) is a wifi hotspot. This has led a great amount of people doing their work online from a public place.
I guess, here in NZ they have tried to stay away from being an online society and that has led to the impossibility of doing any work from a public venue.
Good piece, regards
Fran
PS: Congratulations for the new school premises.