We believe the day is inevitable – free mobile internet for all.
Perfect for being a digital nomad, working from a cafe and generally not being constrained to a desk or home internet connection.
And if you are a traveler, being able to access a cities maps, offers, news and language translation services can only help people feel more comfortable and get the most out of their visit.
Well if you are traveling to Taiwan and more specifically Taipei later this year you could be in luck for an experience that many globally are looking forward to.
Totally free Wi-Fi for the masses:
So how do you get free access thanks to Taiwan’s forward thinking government?
Locals:
For locals you simply sign up using your mobile phone that must be a registered Taiwan number.
Tourists:
Using your passport as id, simply logon to the government portal and sign up using the 3-step process that is simple and available in English.
The Taiwan government aims to have more people connected by October estimating the daily amount to be around 500,000 as it rolls out access further afield than the current shopping areas hospitals, libraries, and business districts.
Areas that will benefit come October will be residential areas, densely populated public places and some 800 or more buses.
Speed?
At 512kbps you will not be downloading your favorite films or music all day and we imagine that certain sites will be blocked, but for a totally free service you will be able to use your Smart Phones with ease while in the city and access maps and services online that could have proven either costly or slow to use prior to the roll out.
We think this kind of forward thinking could help most cities that rely on tourism to boost GDP in the area.
What do you think, are we to beholden to our mobile networks to see this happening in the UK or US, or Mainland Europe?
Here is a handy help guide to getting yourself online when you are in the area:
