The internet has completely transformed the lives of millions of people worldwide. Its ripple effects have also touched virtually every kind of industry. As a result, the demand for free internet access continues to grow on a global scale.
While developed countries have enjoyed this privilege for a long time, developing countries still lag quite a bit far behind.
In South Africa, government and some private businesses are continually seeking ways of providing citizens with access to free Wi-Fi.
You can find free Wi-Fi almost anywhere these days. The trick is to know where to look.
How to find free Wi-Fi:
You could start by finding out which hotels, coffee shops and other businesses always have Wi-Fi. Some coffee shops in major cities as well as popular chain restaurants like McDonalds have free Wi-Fi for customers. Once they have reached a certain limit, they then have the option to upgrade to use a paid service.
Another option is to simply search for hidden networks.
The City of Johannesburg has published a list of free Wi-Fi hotspot locations, making it easy for citizens and visitors to access the internet as they explore the city.
Currently, over half of all libraries and clinics across Johannesburg regions now have free Wi-Fi.
The city of Cape Town has rolled out free Wi-Fi across hotspots throughout Mitchell’s Plain and Khayelitsha.
As pioneer of free Wi-Fi hotspots in South Africa, the capital city of Tshwane has been helped by non-profit organisation Project Isizwe in this regard.
Brightwave has also set up 400 hotspots in Soweto, the biggest township in South Africa.
Brightwave has an unlimited data cap and can be accessed either via its app or by turning on your Wi-Fi and looking for the network when you’re at a hotspot.