Now I don’t have an iPhone (yet) but my current Nokia Smartphone has given me the ability to keep in contact with people through email and various social networking sites (Twitter, Facebook etc). The only problem is that I want to use it wherever I am and I get used to having WiFi access at home and at work that I expect one everwhere I go. What suprises me though is why so many places that have a large gathering of people don’t offer free wifi – it really doesn’t cost much these days and surely if you want to attract people to come and stay longer this would be a good way to do so?
Take for example when you’re in the shopping mall – the ladies love to browse so why can’t the guys browse the internet for free whilst their partners are looking at merchandise? I sure would find the shopping experience a bit more bearable if I was able to do this. Then there is the gym. Now I don’t necessarily think it’s a good idea to surf the net whilst exercising having wifi in the restaraunt/bar area would encourage people to stay longer and eat/drink after their workout so they will spend more money.
Airports already have wifi but you have to be stupid money to use it – why? Surely you want to attract people to the airport to spend more time there and maybe then you might buy stuff from the shops whilst you are there and when you’re stood in the queues for security or check-in you can keep yourself occupied.
With all the mobile devices out there capable of connecting up I don’t think we’re getting the connectivity we need when in my opinion it could be provided. Sure, whoever provides it has to find a way of making some money from the investment but I’m sure the internet marketers would have a clever way of doing this.
As I get ready to swap my Nokia phone for an Apple iPhone I’m glad I will as part of my package be getting free wifi so it will cater for my needs in many places but I think it’s time businesses woke up and provided internet access everywhere.
Filed under: General
Quite a few places in Bombay have started free WiFi access. The barista at Phoenix Mills surely has it, but none of the cafe shops in Bandra have free WiFi.
Though I totally agree with ya – If we have free Wifi at Malls, shopping would be so much fun
I too agree completely! PSP with its inbuilt Wifi Support helped me a lot in my recent SG-KL trip, where every mall had free wifi(in SG, the whole country has free wifi for tourists!), also, Airports had ‘free’ wifi.
It was really helpful for me, as I was able to use google & its currency conversion options to get correct idea relating to US/India/SG prices.
I left that place wishing that India would one day become that good in infrastructure!
@Ritesh – yes in the West too it’s the coffee shops that have embraced this from a long while back like Starbucks. They allow you to sit and work from there provided I guess you’re buying coffee regularly.
@Reetesh – Singapore is amazing. They’ve had free wifi in their airport for many many years and it just makes so much sense doesn’t it?