I’ve just spent a nice 20 minutes sat in Costa on New Bridge Street enjoying BT Openzone’s free wireless access.
It’s a great thing to be able to access the internet whilst relaxing over a coffee, and ramble away on your website. The only thing is the free access is just for this week. The days seem to be gone (were they ever here?) when a coffee shop would provide free wireless internet access in order to attract you to them: expensive tarrifs are the current favourite, although I’m hopeful the 3G data tariff might catch on in due course.
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June 17th, 2005 at 7:22 pm
Richard,
my sympathies on the lack of free wireless access in Glasgow (I came acros your blog while searching for………yep, free wireless access sites in Glasgow.)
As a Scottish expatriate (now in Austin, TX) and one who disdains Starbucks I do have to say that, here in Texas, they did lead the way with free wireless access in coffee shops. Now everyone has to do it to compete.
I wonder if any coffee shop owners have had the courage to lead the way since this entry was written?
January 11th, 2006 at 2:26 pm
[...] I’ve previously complained about internet tarrif’s in coffee shops (and here and here), but I think Caffe Nero may have cracked it. [...]
February 28th, 2007 at 2:56 pm
I have finally took the plunge and decided to try using a wifi hotspot in a Starbucks in the centre of Glasgow and I had to pay £10 for the privelidge. NEVER AGAIN…… I loved the fact that I could surf the internet over a coffee and do some work, check some work and personal e-mails and upload a couple of file but it is very expensive.
I look forward to the day where we can get free or even cheaper access but at the moment it is far too expensive. I am now looking for free hotspots but without success……….as my father always says, what stops the march of advancement is the desire to screw every last penny out of the current idea and I feel that is what is being done here….
Roll on the day I can get access for a reasonable price.. A frustrated Man.
Thanks
October 20th, 2007 at 3:35 pm
for free wi fi spots in glasgow try Ivy at Charring Cross, Maggie Mays in Trongate, Sloans in the argyle arcade, even all the wetherspoons give a 20 min token with every purchase this is not advertised so you have to ask. Also try Osmossis in the euro hostel in jamaica st or offshore gibson street in the west end they are all free.
April 30th, 2008 at 12:40 pm
I recently bought an iPod touch with wifi capability on it. It’s great for using the internet and email at home if I want to quickly check something without putting the computer on.
I’m shocked at the lack of free wifi access in Glasgow though - I’ve yet to find a place where I can use it without having to pay. I checked the BT Openzone website and was appauled to read that pay-as-you-go with them costs 20 pence per minute.
A complete rip-off in my opinion. I see there haven’t been any posts in this topic for a while, and I’d be interested to hear if anyone else knows of anywhere else that now provides free wifi
April 30th, 2008 at 12:43 pm
Hi Kate,
It’s not open to all comers, but Beanscene now offer it (through The Cloud) free to customers - just ask for a voucher (although my iPhone gets that for free all the time).
Similar story with the iCafe on Great Western Road (just up from where Scotsys used to be, on the other side of the road)
r.