The 21st-Century Traveler

Internet Access Away From Home

Without Your Own Computer -- Most hotels have business centers with computers for Internet access, but they can be expensive (some, however, are available free for hotel guests). Otherwise, cybercafes are growing in number, though they are still few and far between. In addition to the suggestions below, check www.cybercaptive.com and www.cybercafe.com. The Hong Kong Tourist Board also maintains a list of current cybercafes in their offices.

Shadowman, 21A Ashley Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui (tel. 852/2366 5262), is a small cybercafe with a handful of computers, providing free Internet access for 20 minutes with the purchase of a drink or food and charging HK$10 (US$1.30/70p) per 15 minutes beyond that. It also offers wireless access. It's open Monday through Thursday from 8am to midnight, Friday and Saturday from 8am to 1am, and Sunday from 10am to midnight.

Pacific Coffee (www.pacificcoffee.com) is Hong Kong's largest chain of coffee shops, most with two or more computers that customers can access for free (you'll probably have to wait in line and use is restricted to 15 min. per visit). Locations include shop 1022 in the International Finance Center (IFC), above Hong Kong Station in Central (tel. 852/2868 5100), open Sunday through Thursday from 7am to 11pm and Friday and Saturday from 7am to midnight.

With Your Own Computer -- More and more hotels, cafes, and retailers are signing on as Wi-Fi (wireless fidelity) "hotspots." In Hong Kong, accessibility begins at its airport, where passengers with laptops equipped with PC-LAN cards can access the Internet from almost anywhere in the terminal, using technology developed by Pacific Century Cyber Works (PCCW). There are also 170 PowerPhones at the airport, where travelers with laptops can connect with the Internet by plugging into the phone's dataport. In the city, PowerPhones at major MTR stations and other locations also provide Internet access.

All upper-range and most medium-priced hotels in Hong Kong are equipped with high-speed dataports that allow guests to use laptop computers. More and more are also offering wireless access (check individual hotel listings for dataport information or call your hotel in advance to see what your options are). In some hotels, Internet access is available upon purchase of an Internet access card for about HK$100 (US$13/£7.15), valid for anywhere from 100 minutes to unlimited use for 5 days, depending on the hotel (in general, the more expensive the hotel, the more expensive its Internet rates). Other hotels charge a flat rate per day, with HK$120 (US$16/£8.55) for 24 hours the prevailing rate. A small percentage of hotels offer it for free.

Although Hong Kong's electricity uses 220 volts and 50 cycles (compared to the U.S. 110 volts and 60 cycles), most laptop computers nowadays are equipped to deal with both. However, you'll need a prong adapter. Upper-end hotels have built-in adapters that accept foreign (including U.S.) prongs; otherwise, housekeeping can probably lend you one for free. For moderate and budget hotels, you'll probably need a connection kit of the right power and phone adapters, a spare phone cord, and a spare Ethernet network cable -- or find out whether your hotel supplies them to guests.

Lots of cafes, bars, and restaurants offer wireless, including Starbucks, Pacific Coffee, Delifrance, KFC, and Häagen-Dazs, with locations throughout Hong Kong. Ask your hotel concierge for the nearest location.

Major Internet Service Providers (ISPs) have local access numbers around the world, allowing you to go online by placing a local call. The iPass network also has dial-up numbers around the world. You'll have to sign up with an iPass provider, who will then tell you how to set up your computer for your destination(s). For a list of iPass providers, go to www.ipass.com and click on "Individuals Buy Now." One solid provider is i2roam (www.i2roam.com; tel. 866/811-6209 or 920/235-0475).

Using a Cellphone

The three letters that define much of the world's wireless capabilities are GSM (Global System for Mobiles), a big, seamless network that makes for easy cross-border cellphone use throughout Europe and dozens of other countries worldwide. In the U.S., T-Mobile, AT&T Wireless, and Cingular use this quasi-universal system; in Canada, Microcell and some Rogers customers are GSM, and all Europeans and most Australians use GSM.

Using your own mobile phone in Hong Kong is easy, as most of the telephone systems used around the world (such as GSM 900, PCS 1800, and CDMA) are operational in Hong Kong. If your cellphone is on a GSM system, and you have a world-capable multiband phone such as many Sony Ericsson, Motorola, or Samsung models, you can make and receive calls in Hong Kong. Mobile operators in Hong Kong have roaming agreements with most overseas operators, enabling visitors to use their own phone in Hong Kong. Just call your wireless operator and ask for "international roaming" to be activated on your account. Unfortunately, per-minute charges can be high, so be sure to ask about pricing before you leave.

It is more economical to buy a removable computer memory phone chip (called a SIM card), which allows you to make calls at local rates. Cheap, prepaid SIM cards are sold at retailers throughout Hong Kong. CSL is a well-known local company that offers a variety of phone services, including a prepaid SIM card (tel. 852/179 179; http://prepaid.hkcsl.com) that costs as low as HK$88 (US$11/£6.30) and allows up to 293 minutes of local calls, with local calls costing HK30¢ (US4¢/2p) a minute, as well as international calls. It's sold at 1010 Centres throughout Hong Kong, including Century Square, 1-13 D'Aguilar St., Central (tel. 852/2918 1010), open daily from 8:30am to 11pm; and Canton Plaza, 82-84 Canton Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui (tel. 852/2910 1010), open daily from 8:30am to 10pm, as well as 7-Eleven convenience stores. CSL also offers a Hong Kong Special Edition SIM card aimed at tourists that costs HK$48 (US$6.25/£3.40) that includes 96 minutes of local calls. In any case, you'll get a local phone number and lower calling rates.

Be aware, however, that not all phones work on all networks, so show your phone to the salesperson. In addition, you need to have an "unlocked" phone that allows you to install a prepaid SIM. Many cellphone operators sell "locked" phones that restrict you from using a SIM card other than the one they supply with your phone. Getting an already locked phone unlocked can be a complicated process, but it can be done; call your cellular operator and say you'll be going abroad for several months and want to use the phone with a local provider.

Renting a mobile phone is also an option. Most upper- and medium-range hotels offer rental phones at their business centers, though it's an expensive convenience (at the Peninsula, you'll pay as much as HK$400/US$52/£30 per day, plus HK$5/US65¢/35p per minute). A better option is to rent from a local company. CSL (tel. 852/2883 3938; http://roam.hkcsl.com/eng/rent/rent.htm) offers phones for HK$35 (US$4.55/£2.50) a day, plus a refundable deposit of HK$200 to HK$500 (US$26-US$65/£14-£36) depending on the model. In addition, you must still buy a SIM card as outlined above. Handsets can be rented at one of several CSL 1010 or One2Free retail shops, including those at the airport, located at Level 7 of the departure hall; 1-13 D'Aguilar St. in Central; and 82-84 Canton Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui.

North Americans can rent one before leaving home from InTouch USA (tel. 800/872-7626; www.intouchglobal.com) or RoadPost (tel. 888/290-1606 or 905/272-5665; www.roadpost.com). InTouch will also, for free, advise you on whether your existing phone will work overseas; simply call tel. 703/222-7161 between 9am and 4pm EST, or go to http://intouchglobal.com/travel.htm.

Online Traveler's Toolbox

Veteran travelers usually carry some essential items to make their trips easier. Following is a selection of handy online tools to bookmark and use:

Weather (www.intellicast.com and www.weather.com)

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Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

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				Frommer's Hong Kong, 9th Edition Author: Beth Reiber Pub Date: February 27, 2007 Price: $16.99				Related Titles: Comrades and Strangers: Behind the Closed Doors of North Korea Frommer's Beijing Day by Day, Official U.S.O.C. Edition, 1st Edition Frommer's Beijing, 5th Edition

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