London - free internet at cafe?

[ztarsh]

Hi,

I'll be in London staying near High Kensington tube. Are there places to grab a coffee and get free wireless?

Thanks

[foreignmuck]

McDonalds
http://www.mcdonalds.co.uk/restaurant...

[taige]

#3. download a free wifi finder app on your iphone.

There are four main ways (in order of recommendation):

1. Unlock your iPhone and buy a local sim card. Top up for internet.

2. Rent a local iPhone. For London, use Aziphone.com

3. Download a free wifi-finder app for where you’re going and try to pick up free wifi.

4. Call your mobile network to go on their travel roaming plan. Use data for emails mostly.

This one might work for those bold enough.

Rack up an inane amount of roaming charges upwards of $300 and then call your carrier afterwards. Be shocked and apologize. Ask it to be wiped out. I’ve heard stories of people having $600 being written off.

more advice at

http://azitravel.com/blog

[AgnesGooch]

Can I ask where in Maida Vale/St John's Wood you found free wi-fi? Specific cafes? Restaurants? etc? I just moved to the neighbourhood and have been having a difficult time finding anywhere.

[Lee Rowley]

The cafe between Elgin Avenue and Lanark Road (between the Natwest bank and the corner store) has free BT wireless broadband.

Hope that helps.

Lee Rowley

[Ian]

Free wifi is hard to come by in London and piggybacking is strictly speaking a criminal offence. jiwire.com has a short list of hotspots.

[gumnaam]

Is it a criminal offence? I can't believe that there is a law dealing with this. I found free wifi quite easy to find in London and had a choice of several free places in the area I lived in (Maida Vale and St John's Wood).

[gumnaam]

You got lucky mnosyne. Starbucks has a deal with tmobile and the prices are ridiculous. However, I do find that it is relatively easy to piggyback off floating wireless connections in London. Try your local maison blanc or look for an independent cafe, many of which provide free connections as a way of competing with the chains.

[ztarsh]

thanks for the great advice, do yo know of any near Kensington Olympia?

[gumnaam]

Nope. I don't know of any in that area.

[mnosyne]

My, my. Alot has changed since July.

[Gav]

Not free, I'm afraid.

http://starbucks.co.uk/en-GB/_Our+Sto...

Last time I used them it was (I think) 8 quid for three hours access, valid at any Starbucks for 28 days.

[mnosyne]

Most, if not all, Starbucks have free wireless (well, free as in with a cup of coffee).