INTERNET ACCESS FOR VISITORS
GOV WiFi FREE INTERNET ACCESS
The Hong Kong Government GovWiFi scheme commenced in March 2008 and provides free wireless internet access via 390 hotspot locations throughout public spaces in the city including public libraries, cultural and recreational centres, museums and large parks. The facility is available for visitors to use. The scheme does not extend to private or commercial buildings and is not on the same scale as free city wide wi-fi schemes already in operation in Taipei and Singapore but nevertheless allows free internet access at 350 public hotspots throughout Hong Kong. The scheme which initially covered 35 locations was rolled out in phases with all 390 hotspots becoming available by March 2010. The hotspots are located mainly in public libraries, government premises, public parks and tourist locations. Tourist locations with hotspots include Peak Road Garden, The Peak, Kowloon Park, Repulse Bay Beach, Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza/Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade, Hong Kong Park, Hong Kong Zoological & Botanical Gardens, Statue Square, Stanley Waterfront Mart/Promenade, Hong Kong Macau Ferry Terminal and China Ferry Terminals.
GovWiFi has two network ID's (SSIDs) "freegovwifi-e" for encrypted connection and "freegovwifi" for unencrypted connection. Users experiencing difficulty connecting to the "freegovwifi-e" encrypted connection will usually be able to connect without difficulty by searching for wireless networks and locating the unencrypted "freegovwifi" connection.
In an expansion of the scheme to provide site-specific services in June 2009 Hong Kong Observatory and Office of Government Chief Information Officer jointly launched a location specific local weather information service where members of the public using mobile devices connected to the free GovWiFi service can click a link for instant detailed weather forecasts for that location for the next 24 hours.
In October 2011 the Government invited tenders for implementation of the Next Generation Government Wi Fi (GovWi Fi) Programme which will succeed the existing programme when the current service contract expires at the end of 2012. The new contract will be for a five year period until the end of 2017 and free GovWi Fi Internet access will be expanded to more locations.Details of locations available can be obtained from the GovWiFi website here;
http://www.gov.hk/en/theme/wifi/location/index.htm
Gov WiFi free internet "hotspot" at Statue Square, Central
...........and at Shatin Park
The Office of Telecommunications Authority is also making provision for broadband wireless access via Wi-Max, a much more powerful version of Wi-Fi where a single transmission tower can provide wireless Internet up to 48km away. Licences were due to be auctioned in autumn 2008 with services rolled out during the following two years although as at August 2011 no Wi-Max services were available.
Free wireless access was made available for tenants in the communal areas of about 120 public rental housing estates of the Housing Authority in January 2008.
In the meantime Broadband Internet terminals which are free to use for visitors are fairly widely available in Hong Kong at a number of locations including the following;
PUBLIC LIBRARIES (FREE FIXED INTERNET TERMINALS)
In addition to providing free wireless internet there are over 1600 fixed public access Internet terminals in public libraries available for visitors to use. Hong Kong Central Library in Causeway Bay (opposite Victoria Park) has 470 terminals with around 20 on the ground floor which visitors can reserve for either a one hour or two hour session by calling in at the library. If no terminal is immediately available advance reservations for later the same day can be made, if terminals are available, or alternatively for another day. The Central Library is open from 10am to 9pm every day except Wednesday when opening hours are 1pm to 9pm. City Hall Public Library has 87 terminals and Kowloon Public Library has 67 terminals. Opening times at most major libraries have been extended since April 2009 but some of the smaller libraries close on one day every week. Visitors can use terminals where available at any public library and the full list of libraries with public terminals is detailed below and addresses, location maps and opening times can be found here;
http://tinyurl.com/35fdvv
Additionally the following libraries also have Express Internet Terminals where no reservation is allowed and access is limited to 15 minutes to enable users to quickly check e-mails and surf the Internet;
City Hall Public Library
Kowloon Public Library
Ma On Shan Public Library
Sha Tin Public Library
Stanley Public Library
Tai Po Public Library
Tuen Mun Public Library
Tsuen Wan Public Library
Tsim Sha Tsui Public Library
MTR STATION iCENTRES (FREE INTERNET TERMINALS and FREE Wi-Fi)
The following MTR stations have "iCentres" with both free fixed Internet terminals and free Wi-Fi Internet access for mobile devices and laptops. Free wi-fi access is limited to 15 minutes per session and each elegible device is limited to 5 sessions per day;
Hong Kong Station (Concourse exit C paid area)
Central Station (Platform 3 Island Line towards Chai Wan)
Prince Edward Station (Concourse – paid area)
Wan Chai Station (Platform 1 Island Line towards Chai Wan)
Tsuen Wan Station (Concourse –paid area)
Kowloon Tong (Concourse –paid area)
Kowloon Bay (Concourse –paid area)
Causeway Bay (Concourse, exit B, C, paid area)
Quarry Bay (platform level towards station concourse exit A
Admiralty Station
Tai Koo Station
Mong Kok Station (Concourse, paid area)
Sham Shui Po Station
Kwai Fong Station
Free Internet Terminals - Tsuen Wan MTR Station "iCentre"
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PCCW FREE 60-DAY WI-FI TRIAL FOR MOBILE DEVICES
Visitors to Hong Kong can take advantage of PCCW's free 60-day Wi-Fi trial. The trial is applicable to hand-held mobile devices such as mobile phones but not laptop computers. Each device must be registered for the trial from any PCCW Wi-Fi hot spot and the trial period applies once only to each registered device. PCCW has Hong Kong's most extensive wi-fi network with over 9,000 hotspots;
http://www.pccwwifi.com/wifi_2months/eng/index.html
MTR STATIONS (SUBSCRIPTION Wi-Fi INTERNET)
32 MTR Stations along the Island, Tsuen Wan, Kwun Tong and Airport Express Lines have Wi-Fi Internet access for which a paid subscription with PCCW is required. Details of stations with Wi-Fi access can be found here;
http://www.mtr.com.hk/eng/facilities/wifi.html
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AIRPORT EXPRESS TRAIN AND STATIONS (SUBSCRIPTION Wi-Fi INTERNET ACCESS)
Since January 2009 Wi-Fi Internet access has been made available on Airport Express trains. Passengers need to pay HK$20 for a 24-hour PCCW Wi-Fi package to use this service.
The following Airport Express Stations have wireless broadband access for which a paid Wi-Fi subscription with PCCW is required;
HONG KONG STATION - Ground floor - In Town Check In
Level 1 - Shops/Restaurants
Level 2 - Concourse
Level 3 - Tung Chung Line Concourse
KOWLOON STATION - Ground floor - In Town Check In
Level 2 - Trains to Airport
Level 3 - Trains from Airport
TSING YI STATION - Level U2 - Trains from Airport
Level U4 - Trains to Airport
AIRPORT STATION - Level 5 - Trains to City
BUSES (FREE Wi-Fi INTERNET ACCESS)
Free wi-fi is available on some Citybus/New World First Bus routes
Since November 2008 Citybus/New World First Bus have introduced free Wi-fi internet access on some buses on certain routes including all "Cityflyer" airport routes. The service is being gradually expanded although not all buses serving routes where wi-fi is available are equipped with wi-fi and by mid-2010 about 170 buses were equipped. Buses with Wi-fi are labelled accordingly near the entry door. The wireless network can be identified as "Webus". Routes which currently have some buses equipped with wi-fi are;
2 Grand Promenade <-> Central (Macau Ferry)
2A Yiu Tung Estate <-> Wan Chai Ferry Pier 2X Shau Kei Wan <-> Wan Chai Ferry Pier
8 Heng Fa Chuen <-> Wan Chai Ferry Pier 8P Island Resort<-> Wan Chai Ferry Pier 18 North Point Healthy St Central <-> Belcher Bay 82 Island Resort <-> North Point Ferry Pier
101 Kennedy Town <-> Kwun Tong (Yue Man Square) 104 Kennedy Town <-> Pak Tin Estate
106 Siu Sai Wan (Island Resort) <-> Wong Tai Sin 111 Central (Macau Ferry) <-> Ping Shek Estate
112 North Point (Pak Fuk Road) <-> So Uk Estate 113 Choi Hung <-> Belcher Bay
116 Quarry Bay (Yau Man Street) <-> Tsz Wan Shan (Central) 590 South Horizons <-> Exchange Square 590A South Horizons <-> Admiralty MTR Station (East) 601 Po Tat Estate <-> Admiralty MTR Station 680 Admiralty MTR Station (East) <-> Lee On Estate 682 Chai Wan (East) <-> Lee On Estate 701 Hoi Lai Estate <-> Mong Kok 702 Hoi Lai Estate <-> Sham Shui Po (Yen Chow Street) 722 Yiu Tung Estate <-> Central Ferry Pier 3 792M Tiu Keng Leng MTR Station <-> Sai Kung 904 Nob Hill <-> Belcher Bay 905 Nob Hill <-> Wan Chai Ferry Pier 970 Cyberport <-> So Uk 970X Aberdeen <-> So Uk A10 Ap Lei Chau Estate <-> Airport A11 North Point Ferry Pier <-> Airport
A12 Siu Sai Wan (Island Resort) <-> Airport A21 Hung Hom MTR Station <-> Airport A22 Lam Tin MTR Station <-> Airport
PACIFIC COFFEE COMPANY (FREE TERMINALS AND PCCW SUBSCRIPTION Wi-Fi ACCESS)
Pacific Coffee have 50 shops throughout Hong Kong (including two at the airport) which have Internet terminals for customers use free of charge. The number of terminals at each shop varies from one to about six. There is no time limit unless all terminals are occupied in which case customers are requested to limit use to 15 minutes if others are waiting and a 15-minute timer is located next to each terminal which can be set by waiting customers.
A full list of shops, locations and opening times can be found here;
http://www.pacificcoffee.com/eng/store/st_sto_hkm.html
PCCW wi-fi internet access is also available at Pacific Coffee but is not free to use.
Pacific Coffee free Internet terminal
STARBUCKS, MCDONALDS, MCCAFE LIMITED FREE WI-FI
20 minutes per day free wi-fi internet access is available at many branches of Starbucks, McDonalds and McCafe branches where Y5Zone wi-fi is available. Unlimited free wi-fi access is available at a small number of McDonalds branches such as the outlet at Star House, near Star Ferry Pier, Tsim Sha Tsui. Internet access is not usually available some small outlets such as kiosks. To take advantage of free wi-fi it is necessary to complete a short simple (three or four question) online questionnaire. After 20 minutes further access can be gained at a charge of HK$5 per hour by sending SMS text to Y5Zone for user name and password. Alternatively customers can connect to a paid wi-fi network and PCCW wi-fi network is widely available.
HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (FREE PCCW Wi-Fi AND FIXED TERMINALS)
Complimentary wi-fi internet access provided by PCCW is available throughout Hong Kong International Airport.
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FREE INTERNET ACCESS - OTHER LOCATIONS
Many large shopping malls have either free Internet terminals/free wi-fi hotspots or both including Times Square and Windsor House in Causeway Bay, IFC Mall in Central and Harbour City in Tsim Sha Tsui.
Some Uncle Russ Coffee bars including the ones at Central Ferry Pier 6 (for Mui Wo/Peng Chau), Central Pier 3 (for Discovery Bay) and Star Ferry Pier Tsim Sha Tsui have one or more Internet terminals for customer use.
Many Mix juice bars have free internet access.
The Peak Galleria - unlimited free wi-fi access.
NWFF (New World First Ferry) have made free wi-fi available at Central Ferry Pier 5 (for ferries to Cheung Chau) and at Cheung Chau Ferry Pier.
Free wi-fi access throughout Discovery Bay, provided by Hong Kong Resort Company.
Hong Kong Jockey Club provide free wi-fi access at Happy Valley and Shatin Racecourses. For details see;
http://racecourses.hkjc.com/english/come_racing/useful_tips/racecourseservice_other/
Sky 100 - 30 minutes free wi-fi access at observation deck on 100th floor, International Commerce Centre (ICC), West Kowloon
Some hotels provide complimentary in-room wireless internet access for guests.
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PRE - PAID WI-FI INTERNET ACCESS
PCCW have over 9000 wireless hotspots throughout Hong Kong including all Starbucks and Pacific Coffee outlets, most MTR platforms, concourses and Airport Express, all 7-Eleven and Circle K outlets and over 1000 PCCW phone booths (see below) from which a wi-fi signal is usually available within about 100-metres radius. PCCW pre-paid wi-fi passes are available allowing unlimited wi-fi access with a 24-hour pass costing HK$20 or a 30-day pass costing HK$158 and will represent good value for many visitors Passes can be purchased at PCCW shops and many convenience stores;
http://www.pccwwifi.com/eng/index.htm
ONLINE SEARCH ENGINE FOR REGISTERED WI-FI ACCESS POINTS
The Hong Kong Government's Office of the Telecommunications Authority (OFTA) maintains a search engine for all registered wi-fi access points in Hong Kong. Searches can be made by name of service provider, geographical district and area;
https://apps.ofta.gov.hk/apps/clr/content/public_search.asp