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Vienna logs 10,000 users a week on free WiFi

 

Vienna is going public WiFi in a big way, with 150 free hotspots (not yet the 200 advertised in the poster)  drawing 10,000 users a week spread over Vienna's districts. The total is planned to hit 400 sites by the end of the year. It's been particularly popular with tourists accessing street maps, uploading photos and staying in touch.

Of course, it's available to everyone, and some Viennese are taking advantage of its speed, greater than the mobile data on their phones. (I can testify to the speed; when I used it last month it was quite good!)

The access points, installed mostly on lamp posts and traffic lights, required laying several miles of cable for the dedicated service. The priority in installing the hotspots has has gone to tourist areas, shopping districts and areas where there are tables and benches available for users.

The initial plan required users to sign up in advance, but now all that's needed is to select the network (wien.at Public WLAN) and click that you agree to the terms and conditions. You get 8 hours access before it cuts off—but you can just log on again when it does. The system has restrictions: a list of pornographic and right-wing sites are off limits.



Two articles from TheLocal.at have more details. Click HERE for last November's article on the construction plans, and HERE for the current article on its success.

The best part of every trip is realizing that it has upset your expectations

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