Monday, January 23, 2006

Wireless in Manchester?

Due to technical difficulties in the home office, I just spent the day schlepping my laptop all over the city centre looking for a place where I could plug in, power up and log on for the price of a coffee. But no dice. I remember doing this in New York, before, once or twice. I cherish fond memories of the NYC cafe society, teeming with coffee shops that offer free wireless to customers, and power outlets too. That's why New Yorkers have the thriving mobile office culture that enables self-employed folks like me to get out of the house and work/meet/procrastinate in public, right?

Wrong. My friend Marisa, a freelance writer who lives on the disgustingly leafy West Village block used for exterior shots of Carrie's apartment on Sex and The City (in a hatbox-sized apartment)is here to set me straight:

Ok. Pause the America-is-better rant, b/c it ain't as cute as it looks. While, yes, there are cafes on every corner, it's really tough to find one that has access to free-flowing electricity and free wireless. There are two by my apt, but one blocked off all of the outlets so you can only have juicy internet and long-term electric flow if you get there at like 7 am. The other has 4 tables and is unbearably hot. It's not a win win.

Okay, rant paused. But surely there must be some sweet underpublicised wireless hotspots in Manchester that don't cost an arm and a leg? I've just enabled comments, and am asking readers to comment/email with any wireless spots that they know of around Greater Manchester. I'll sum them all up in a post later.

6 comments:

Adrian Slatcher said...

They all cost an arm-and-a-leg or require a complex subscription procedure. Though you could try the one's listed here - its a local company so not quite BT-ville https://www.telegeneration.com/venue/venues.php
or there was a free wi-fi point on the street kiosk in Albert Square (just by Cafe Uno), but god knows if you can sit, have a latte and access it.

Anonymous said...

Try Suburb Store.

Also, if you find others, feel free to add them to Free WiFi Cafes. I'm slowly building a directory of all the free places that I find.

tony said...

Thanks From The Link
Best Wishes
Tony

MB said...

My wireless connection at my house is unsecured. Feel free to park up outside and use it while I'm at work.

Dan Flynn said...

Y,

Ta fer the link, much obliged.

D

Anonymous said...

Wow, finally found some place for information. I am quite new to all these things and been looking forever for free hotspots in Manchester!! Could do with some coaching on this!

Any where near Quay street?