Strangest wifi hotspots in the world

Some travellers were unable to access WiFi in their hotel without incurring an added charge.

Some travellers were unable to access WiFi in their hotel without incurring an added charge.

Published Oct 18, 2014

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Cape Town - Retailers and restaurateurs simply have no excuse when it comes to offering their customers Wi-Fi, especially when you look at some of the places offering wireless access.

 Ctrlroom Operations Executive Nicola Beykirch takes us on an offbeat tour of some of the strangest Wi-Fi hotspots in the world.

Here are some of the surprising spots in the world where you can find a hotspot:

Selfies in space: As the first “spaceline”, Virgin Atlantic will be taking tourists up to an orbital hotel. All future astronauts will enjoy free Wi-Fi so they can post some truly out-of-this-world holiday snaps on Facebook.

I thought they called it a hotspot? In 2005, Intel set up Wi-Fi at the Barneo Ice Camp - 80kms from the North Pole. Presumably, it is not often used to look up weather predictions.

Just don't drop your phone: The highest Wi-Fi access in the world is at Everest Base Camp, about 5kms above sea level. How can anyone resist sharing a selfie after such an accomplishment?

The Networking Dead: Some graveyards such as the Oak Grove Cemetery in Kentucky offer free wireless, proving that you can't ever get away from the Digital Age? Even when you're six feet under. There may be method to the madness - a Dorset funeral director began offering QR codes on graves to allow visitors to find out more about people buried under the headstones.

Where? The tiny village of Sarohan didn't even have electricity a few years ago. Now, a 20-metre Wi-Fi tower looms over the mango trees. Connectivity projects are bringing the Internet to some of the poorest locations in the world.

Why do we see Wi-Fi hotspots popping up in the oddest places?

While some of these places might seem strange at first glance, the reason for their existence is simple: connectivity is useful just about anywhere.

In 2002, New York's Bryant Park was the first to launch a wireless network that covers the whole park, which regularly functions as an events venue as well as an excellent impromptu outdoor office. The network needs to be able to handle thousands of people logged in at once. Many parks have followed since.

Many buses and trains across Europe offer wireless to passengers. Eurostar passengers to and from France are even able to access Internet while travelling the Channel Tunnel.

In December last year, London cabs began offering government-backed free Wi-Fi in order for tourists to avoid expensive cellphone roaming charges. Here at home, the SA National Taxi Association aims to equip 1 500 minibus taxies with access points.

Many beaches, among them Sea Point, provide wireless access so you can keep in touch with family and friends (and make them jealous) while lounging around on the sand.

Moscow was the first city to offer wireless access in phone booths, followed by London, Amsterdam and more. Now, New York City will follow by transforming 7 000 inoperative booths across all five boroughs into working hotspots.

Universal access

If there's one thing all of this tells us, it's that Wi-Fi access is becoming the norm not the exception. Pretty soon, we won't be talking about the strange places that do offer Wi-Fi, but rather the strangest places that don't.

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