The Star, July 8, 2010

George Town: The number of free WiFi hotspots in Penang has increased to 450 under the state’s Penang Free WiFi initiative.

Lau Bik Soon, the chief executive officer REDtone Telecommunications Sdn Bhd which is undertaking the project, said areas in Jelutong on Penang island and Raja Uda in Butterworth were the latest to be covered in the initiative that is geared to make Penang the country’s first WiFi state.

“We are on track to establish the target of 750 hotpots by year-end,” Lau said.

If the target is reached, some 90% of the state will have free WiFi access.

Current free WiFi hotspots include parts of Batu Ferringhi, Tanjung Bungah, Little India, KOMTAR, Penang Road, Bukit Jambul, Bayan Baru, Chulia Street, Seberang Jaya, Prai and Permatang Pauh along with several commercial centres like Mayang Mall and Queensbay Mall in Bayan Baru and The Summit in Bukit Mertajam.

Lau added that the number of registered users under the initiative had almost double to nearly 45,000 compared to 25,000 users in early December.

The Penang Free WiFi project is the first component of the Wireless@Penang Project, a move to turn Panang into an international city.

It was launched in September 2008.