Wireless@SG Compared to SingTel 4G (3 bars)

Date:  Oct 10, 2014

I was at Marine Parade yesterday.

My iPhone was signing into Wireless@SGx Wi-Fi hotspot.

While checking my mail, the hourly glass keep spinning.  And I wonder why?

I did many times Speedtest.  This result has been consistent.

I used another Speedtest App to do the test.  The result is unfortunately, consistent.

So, I turn off Wi-Fi on my phone and allow my iPhone to use the LTE/4G.  It has only 3 bars.

So, I redo all the test.  And hey, SingTel LTE/4G gave me close to 70Mbps download speed with close to 25Mbps upload speed. 

What was the Wireless@SG speed again?  Less than 2Mbps download speed.

The result of course is consistent when use a different speed tester.

And hey, it is only 3 bars signal we are talking about.

Conclusions:

1.  Wireless@SG sucks!

2.  I don’t see why Wireless @SG which is a free service, need to exist.  There is no point.

3.  It disgrace the Singapore Internet capability.  Imagine, tourist came to Singapore, and use Wireless@SG at a very snail slow speed.  They go back to their home, they might say “Singapore Internet is very backward, can’t even get a decent 2Mbps download speed."

4.  Is this what the country want to show the world?  Slow Internet WiFi speed?  

5.  The Internet Access speed is much faster at any of the coffee shop who offer Free WiFi.

6.  Mind as well give the money to SingTel/Starhub/M1 so that they do a better job or subscription plans for the 4G/LTE.

7.  Wireless@SG really sucks!

Please Feedback Wireless@SG Failed Site to IDA

Date:  Dec 25, 2011

Provide feedback on Wireless@SG

The director in charge of infrastructure development wishes to get feedback on locations where Wirelss@SG is not working well. Please send the feedback to them at the following:

• Email: wireless@ida.gov.sg
• SMS:  Simply follow the format below and send it to 79777:
  
  • IDA  E mail  Your comments
  • Example: IDA user_email@hotmail.com Cannot connect to Wireless@SG at Site A
  • SMS length to be within 160 characters
• Visit us at http://wireless.infocomm123.sg for more information on Wireless@SG.

 

Why we need to feedback?

1.  We all know Wireless@SG sucks!

2.  We all know IDA funded this Wireless@SG.  They used our hard earned tax payer money to fund M1, iCell & SingTel for putting up these Wireless AP around the island, but usually it is SLOW, and most of the time it does not work!

3.  Back in the past, you need to login to get online.  Now, they provide Wireless@SGX so that you do not need to every time login.  But still, most of the time it does not work!

4.  How can you tell?  If you have an iPhone, and you set Wireless to auto-connect.  So, when you are at home, no problem.  When you are at office, no problem.  When you are at some nice restaurant that provide free Wifi, no problem.  But most of the time, when you are at public area, it will auto select to Wireless@SGX without you knowing.  And then, all your WhatsApp messages not coming in. Why? Because iphone has switch from 3G to Wireless@SGX Wifi connection where it allow you to connect, but no data flow or very slow data flow thru.  That is not nice!  That is super frustrated.

5.  When you call up SingTel, M1 or iCell, they will say, it is free service, it is congested, too many people logon, etc.  So, the QoS (Quality of Service) is almost zero.  None at all.  But then, if you are a paying customer of a certain Telco, surprisingly, the WiFi works some times.  So, Free service get zero QoS?  That is not right!  Our tax payer money has paid for that!

6.  So, please make sure all your friends know about the email address to sent feedback.  Oh yes, when the WiFi (Wireless@SG) is not working, and how you suppose to sent it to wireless@ida.gov.sg????? Luckily, there are some clever people in the department also provide the SMS 79777 hotline for people to complaint the site.

7.  Please tell every one to have this SMS 79777 template in their SMS for easy to sent in complaint.

IDA myemail@myemailaddress.sg Cannot connect to Wireless@SG at Vivo City

or

IDA myemail@myemailaddress.sg Can connect to Wireless@SG but cannot use or no response

or

IDA myemail@myemailaddress.sg Wait very long time to login to Wireless@SG

or

Anything you wish to complaint.

Please help the nation.  And show the government the power of the people.  We should execute our right as a tax payer, to have the right to use a good QoS WiFi Infrastructure in Singapore.

Thanks!

P/S:  Not sure why http://wireless.infocomm123.sg/ website returns a blank page.

Crap!

Crap!

Hope the SMS works hor... Sibei JiaLat!

 

Wireless @ SG Revamp!

Date:  Dec 4, 2011

Wow!

I just got a few comments on this:

1.  I thought the Download/Upload speed of the Wireless@SG is 512Kbps or below?  Because I can never get a speedtest that is more than half of that bandwidth.  Whenever I use Wireless@SG, the speed most of the time is SLOWER than 3G.  Given that 3G is already very congested and slow.

2.  But the most importantly, Wireless@SG does not work in most of the shopping mall.  The only place that I have consistent good coverage so far is @ KFC at Suntec Tower One basement.  There, I have my daily breakfast and read news without problem.  But whenever you go to other malls, I was forced to turned off my WiFi because it automatically log on to the Wireless@SG but most of the time, it does not work!

3.  So, If today, the 3G network is giving you up to 7.2Mbps, I don't see what is the reason that Wireless@SG wanted to capped at 1Mbps per laptop, per smartphone.  This is not right!

4.  Most of the time, people use it on smartphones nowadays.  So, every smartphones or iPad most likely have a 3G sim chip.  So, what is the problem of using the 3G Sim as authentication?  Don't asked me to key in my username and password all the time!

5.  I believe a lot of our money (Taxpayer money) has been thrown into this crappy Wireless@SG.  But there is no QoS (Quality of Service) at all.  So, if these operators is asking for extra funding for any upgrades, please put in QoS clauses to make sure that they do the job right!

6.  So, please, do not only see the problem one dimension.  Don't just fix the easy authentication and forgot to fix the backhaul bandwidth.  100Mbps is sold today below S$40.  So, I don't see a reason why these Wifi hotspot are not getting 100Mbps backhaul speed to the Internet, and why can't the hotspot open up full WiFi bandwidth for us to use it.

Sorry Sorry... Everytime I talk about Wireless, I always easy to get agitated.  Do you have this experience, where, you walk into a Wireless@SG, and your smart phones start switching to Wireless@SG and because Wireless@SG is not working at that time in that area, you did not get important WhatsApp message or emails, etc.  Until you realize it, you quickly have to turn off the WiFi and use the 3G, a at least not so crappy network connectivity.  Then, when you get back to home and office, you then have to manually to turn on the the WiFi again.  Ain't that annoying?