If you have a laptop, iPhone, or PDA with wireless capabilities, then you know both the joy and frustration of using your appliance on the road. For travellers and business people who are used to having broadband at home and work, Wi-Fi opens up a whole new world. Instead of those idle hours waiting at a train station or airport, people can now be kept busy checking emails, downloading documents, and using their computer or device as they would in the office. Of course, while Wi-Fi is a good thing, free Wi-Fi is better. Luckily for people on the go, free Wi-Fi is available in many locations across the globe.
To find free Wi-Fi, the best bet is to check online at sites dedicated to listing free hotspots. Hotspots are areas where Wi-Fi is available, often under the supervision of hotels, restaurants, airports, train stations, universities, libraries, bookstores, etc. If you’re on the road and you travel via National Express East Coast trains, then you probably know that they have free Wi-Fi in all their train carriages, First Class lounges and throughout York Station. Finding a hotspot is as easy as checking websites, such as www.free-hotspot.com or www.hotspot-locations.com.
In London, the top 10 free hotspots are: City Airport, Leicester Square, Upper Street and Holloway Road (see the StreetNet network sign for details), the British Library (get an account at www.bl.uk), any of the 24 Coffee Republic outlets, McDonalds (yes, McDonalds - most have free Wi-Fi), Weatherspoon’s, Coffee @ Tower Bridge Rd, and Leon (the healthy fast food restaurant).