Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Confused Canadian]

Heading to the UK for a vacation in a couple of weeks, and I'm wondering about wireless internet access.

I'm sure that if I'm in a coffee shop or what have you, I'll be able to find a wireless signal, but I'll be staying with my grandmother, who definitely doesn't have Internet access. She lives in a small town, and I seriously doubt there will be any hot spots near her home.

Is there any kind of service I can subscribe to that won't involve a full fledged set up? For example, when I was in the hospital in Seoul a year or so ago, you could get a wireless antenna that plugged into a USB port, and I assume connected to Nespot, or some such service. Is there anything like that in the UK that is available in rural areas specifically for travelers? I've done a brief search online, but haven't seen anything like this.

I can certainly live without the Internet during my upcoming trip, but if I can work something out, that would be great too!

Anyone from the UK got any advice for me?

[sheriffadam]

there is no rental internet like that, and the only usb dongles you can buy come with 1 year or 3 month minimum contracts.

what town are you visiting? you might be able to google if there is a hotspot in that area, or google if there is a starbucks there and find out that way?

[Murakano]

02 have PAYG

http://shop.o2.co.uk/promo/o2mobilebroadband/tab/1_month

here's a few places for free access....

-----

Get it free across the UK!

First of all, if you're in town, you can find free, no password necessary wireless access at these high street mainstays (as well as local coffee shops etc):

McDonalds restaurants. Wi-Fi should be instantly accessible; just selct it on your machine

JD Wetherspoons pubs. Again, just select it, but stay for too long without buying anything and you might get a few funny glances from the bar.

Walkabout pubs. Again here you may need to buy something out of politeness if you want to stay awhile!

Slug & Lettuce. The Slug & Lettuce chain now boasts free Wi-Fi throughout. The networks, provided by The Cloud, should be accessible instantly; just make sure you choose the right one.

Pret a Manger. The tasty sandwich emporium now offers totally free, no-password-necessary wireless to all comers (and people standing nearby, ahem...)

Krispy Kreme. The latest chain to strike up a deal with The Cloud, the doughnut vendor's currently offering free wireless access in 18 stores nationwide, with more to follow.

Starbucks (for some). Having implemented BTopenzone hotspots in 650 shops nationwide, Starbucks now offers free WiFi to rewards cardholders, iPhone users, O2 mobile broadband users, and most BT total broadband customers.

[Confused Canadian]

Thanks for the info.

My grandmother is half an hour outside of Stirling, so it looks like I'll be using free WIFI in Stirling from time to time. Definitely no Starbucks in my gran's town! (though a couple of the coffee shops might have access...).

The USB dongle from 02 was what I was looking for, but there are no WIFI hot spots where we'll be staying, and if I can find free WIFI in Stirling, then there's not much point, but I appreciate the info! Maybe I'll just have to hope one of her neighbors has an unsecured router....

Thanks again for the info!