Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Adelaide Gets a Taste of Free WiFi

Posted by timothy on from the and-bits-there-flow-up dept.

Anonymous Coward writes "Adelaide's Citilan network is being relaunched. Sometime in the last two weeks they decided to open it up for free use to anyone in Adelaide's CBD, pending full commercial launch. Get in and find a hotspot while its hot!"

7 of 132 comments (clear)

  1. uh-huh. by ShaniaTwain · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The first one's free, when you want some more you know where to come.

    Sounds like a pretty sensible promotion.

    Who said crack dealers have nothing to teach service providers?

    --
    Starsucks
  2. How will they migrate to commercial by moz25 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    What kind of fee will they be charging once it's commercial? Also, wouldn't it make sense to require people to register a free account so that the migration will be more structured?

    --
    see a Text Widget
  3. What is the difference by thegrassyknowl · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Hasn't Citilan always been open for free (at least for members of a long list of ISPs including Internode, Adam, Esc.Net, and others)?

    I have used it on several occasions to grab files from the Node mirror instead of having to use dialup. It's even faster than my DSL if you can find a hotspot that isn't heavily used (sitting outside the State Library at 3am helps until you get arrested).

    They are going to close it off soon AFIK - there are too many leechers. There's always a bunch of (no offence, but they are always) asians around some of the more public indoor hotspots (library, museum, etc) that bring desktop PCs, fold out tables and chairs, etc just to leech free Internet for the day. There was even one there that brought his 5.1 surround speakers and the stands for the rear ones were set up behind him - in the middle of they foyer.

    I'm amazed that Citilan is still open to the public, actually - the ISPs are footing the bill and it's free, although I did hear talk that if you use a Node login on it you chew up your Node download quota for the month; but that was just a rumour, I've never heard proof of it.

    --
    I drink to make other people interesting!
  4. At the risk of being a total dick... by august+sun · · Score: 5, Insightful

    do we really need a story everytime a new city gets free wifi? It was cool and progressive the first dozen times it happened but now it's just about as exciting as reporting on SBC running fiber optic lines in a new area (which is to say, not very)

  5. where? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    It makes very poor manners to name a city without naming the country you're talking about.

    Background on Adelaide in Australia - the one mentioned in the article:
    http://www.adelaidecitycouncil.com/council/about/c ouncil-history.htm
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adelaide

    1. Re:where? by strider44 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Why? People do it with American and British cities all the time and it's not considered poor manners. Also, this is a story that will only actually matter to anyone who lives in Adelaide or is going to Adelaide in the near future, so if this is the case it is likely that they would at least know which country Adelaide is in.

      Personally I don't mind at all if they say just the city name if it's in the biggest four or five cities of a major country. I do however mind if there is several cities of the same name, it is a small or obscure city, or they are using abbreviations that noone outside the area knows. (American states anyone?)

  6. My Home Town!! by CypherOz · · Score: 5, Informative

    Adelaide is a fantastic city! Surrounded by park lands - great place to work and live. Great weather, wine beaches, food, dining entertainment, and free wireless!

    Also: Wikipedia on Adelaide

    --
    You want a signature? You can't handle a signature!!