Worldwide Weekend of Free WiFi with Skype Access

MarijkeD — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 19:49:13 +0000

I received this in the mail today. If you don’t know what Skype is, it’s a program that allows you to turn your computer into a telephone or a video phone if you like. You can call computer to computer for free. Or, for a small fee, you can call a land-line.

Skype’s latest product, Skype Access will enable free WiFi access in over 100,000 hotspots worldwide this coming weekend, 20-21 March 2010.

Skype Access lets anyone pay for WiFi access per minute using Skype Credit, so that they can surf the web, email and make free Skype-to-Skype voice and video calls in a massive network of WiFi hotspots including cafés, hotels and airports worldwide.

From 00.00 GMT on Saturday 20 March to 23.59 GMT on Sunday 21 March, Skype Access will be completely free to use from anywhere in the world.

All that’s needed is a connection to a Skype Access Hotspot and the latest version of Skype (Windows 4.2 or Mac 2.8) which can be downloaded from www.skype.com/go/download

In a special promotion for travellers around the world impacted by the industrial action by British Airways cabin crew, the offer will be extended in the UK to 23.59 Monday 22 March 2010. Anyone stuck in a UK airport will be able to stay online free to work, adjust holiday bookings or better still, make a free video call home to the family with Skype.

Skype Access is provided by WiFi hotspot operators around the world. For a complete list of compatible WiFi networks click here.

Montreal on the Cheap has become a Skype Affiliate, so if you are interested in downloading it, we’d love it if you use the link in the right hand side bar.

As mentioned above, Skype – the program is free – but you can pay for options. For example, I pay a very low subscription price to be able to call land-line phones. I use it for all my interviews for my work because I can record directly onto my computer.

Free wireless hotspots in and around Montreal

MarijkeD — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 15:03:56 +0000

A great way to save a buck or two is to use free hotspots. Many places, like Second Cup, do have wireless hotspots, but they’re a pay-for service. Yesterday, because I had some time to kill before an appointment, I had to pay 6.00 to access the Internet through Second Cup’s arrangement with Rogers.

I’m not complaining, no-one forced me to go online there, but free would have been a lot better.

Here is a first go at a list for Montreal and area free hotspots. If you know of any other freebies, please let us know by leaving a comment and we’ll add it to the list. Some of the information was gathered using MontrealInfo.com, so we haven’t yet verified if all the sites are still offering free access. As always, it’s best to call ahead to see if they still have it and their hours of operation.

The first thing you can do is sign up for the Ile sans fils (Wireless island, is a loose translation). Once you’ve signed up, you have a huge group of wireless areas open to you. The sign-up takes seconds. They want a username, your email address and you enter a password. Seconds later, you get a verification email, click on the link in the email and you’re registered to use the Ile sans fils system.

To see where you can access Ile sans fils area hotspots, you can check out their map or their list.

Others include: