Singapore may not be the cheapest country in Southeast Asia for a holiday, but at least you don’t have to pay for the WiFi. That’s right, as part of its uber-modern image Singapore has invested in a wireless broadband program available in most public places. It’s called Wireless@SG and it’s completely free – even for tourists – and a great solution if your hotel dares to charge extra for Wifi!

Free Wifi is the best kind of Wifi.

To sign up for a Wireless@SG account of your very own all you need is a WiFi-enabled device (laptop, smart phone, any kind of iDevice) and a Singapore mobile phone number. Then follow these five easy steps:

1. Find a Wireless@SG hotspot. The service is available at hundreds of places including shopping centres, libraries, museums, public swimming pools, Clarke Quay and selected restaurants and fast food joints (including KFC and McDonalds). It’s also available at some unexpected places like the Botanic Gardens, East Coast Park, and the Singapore Zoo & Night Safari. A full list of hot spots can be found here.

2.  Connect to the network and open your browser. A Wireless@SG log-in page should appear. I’ll assume you’re a new user if you’re reading this, so click on the “New Sign Up” link which will direct you to the registration page.

Need a new account? Look to the upper right.

3. Fill in the required information including your name, passport number, a local address (your hotel’s address will do), and a local phone number. The phone number is a crucial detail because the password will be sent to you as a text message. The fact that it must be a Singaporean (+65) number is definitely the biggest shortfall of the system, but a local SIM card is only S$8. Alternatively, you can call the Wireless@SG help desk at 6309 4525 and they’ll help you register without using a phone number.

4. Log in using your newly assigned username and password. The assigned password is a random alphanumeric sequence so, if you plan on using the Wireless@SG service frequently, change it to something you‘ll actually remember. There’s also a Wireless@SG app for automatic log-in.

Tell us a little about yourself.

5.  Start surfing! The speed is limited to 1 MBps for the free accounts, but that’s plenty of bandwidth for bragging on Facebook that you’re drinking a Singapore Sling at Raffles.

More useful information about Wireless@SG can be found on its official website at http://www.infocomm123.sg/wireless_at_sg/.

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Tags: internet, wifi, wireless@sg