Free WiFi speed as ‘fast’ as a snail
GEORGE TOWN: The best things in life are free, but in the case of the Penang Free WiFi service, that hardly seems true at all.
There are 1,560 free WiFi hotspots in the state, but hardly anybody can ever access it.
This, according to state Utilities Committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari, is because although the speed ranges from 4Mbps to 15Mbps depending on the area, the backhaul speed is only 375kbps.
“The allocated speed per user is 1Mbps but it also depends on the number of users per access point, which is limited to about 30.
“Places like Komtar and the herit- age areas were allocated with 3Mbps but the speed depends on the number of users.
“As the number of users increase, the speed will decrease,” he said, adding that the service encompassed all 40 state constituencies.
Launched in 2009, Penang Free WiFi is a component of the Wireless@Penang project, a move to transform Penang to international city status.
It was set up with a budget of RM8.5mil over five years with the expenditure equally borne by Penang Development Corporation Telecommunication Services Sdn Bhd and the state government.
Zairil said the state was not giving up on its mission to provide free WiFi connection to the popu- lace and planned to discontinue the current Penang Free WiFi service provider.
“A new tender will be called soon,” he said.
Penangite Tan Phaik Shan, 34, said the last time she tried to connect to the free wireless network was about a year ago but the connection was bad.
“It was so slow and at times it does not connect. It usually says the page is loading and then it says ‘try again’.
“I live in Raja Uda in Butterworth and the connection there is not good.
“But once, I tried connecting to the free WiFi at the Butterworth jetty and the connection was better there,” she said.