Privacy

These Are the Top 4 Cities Worldwide for Free Wi-Fi

Traveling abroad is never a smooth process, and locating reliable Wi-Fi — on top of typical travel dilemmas — can often be stressful. However, many cities around the world have taken steps toward installing broadly accessible Wi-Fi networks. When using these Wi-Fi networks, keep in mind that public networks can come with a host of security flaws. Be sure to run a the Wi-Fi Check feature on your phone once you’ve connected to a new network:

The Wi-Fi Check feature will check the download speed, DNS security, and network security of your public network. It’s a great way to see if you’re using a safe and reliable network. Continue reading to find out a few of the world’s top cities with free and reliable Wi-Fi access.

Taipei, Taiwan
After installing nationwide Wi-Fi in 2011, Taiwan became one of the first countries to offer free Wi-Fi to its citizens. A few years later, the nation expanded its “iTaiwan” network to tourists, as well. By visiting a Taiwan Tourism Bureau Center and presenting their passport as an ID, visitors can register their phones to the foreign network. Taiwan offers approximately 5,000 individual hotspots, many of which are located in tourist destinations, transportation hubs, government offices and cultural establishments. Taipei is heavily populated by hotspots, featuring hundreds of locations all easily locatable through the city’s hotspot map.

Tel Aviv, Israel
Also a leader in the installation of citywide Wi-Fi, Tel Aviv offers 80 separate free Wi-Fi locations for tourists and locals. Most major tourist and transportation locations sport hotspots, many of which are concentrated in the city’s center. Tech users wishing to take advantage of this should connect to the “free_tlv” network. The free Wi-Fi imposes no limits on network usage for users.

Kansas City, Missouri
Although this might be an unusual travel destination, Kansas City’s recently installed public Wi-Fi networks are a sure draw for tech users. This installation is part of an initiative to shift the city towards smart infrastructure. Built and managed by the Sprint network, the Wi-Fi hotspots will feature upload speeds of 130 Mbps and download speeds of 150 Mbps. While the network is available to locals and visitors alike, city officials have said that their main reason for the network is to benefit low-income and underprivileged citizens.

Helsinkl, Finland
This Finnish city’s Wi-Fi network requires no account or password, and imposes no usage limits. The public network offers download speeds of 24 Mbps and upload speeds of 21.8 Mbps. These speeds are fast enough to allow for fast and high quality HD streaming and video calling. The network is available for access in most public spaces and government-owned buildings.

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