Up to 3,000 users at any one time can now enjoy free wireless Internet access at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (“HKCEC”), following the completion of a major upgrade of the Centre’s Wi-fi system in early October 2011.

The major enhancements included upgrading the user capacity from 1,000 to 3,000 at a time, and also extending the maximum usage time for individual users from 20 minutes to a full hour.  With bandwidth of 100 Mbps, the download and upload speeds for individual users have also been doubled to 512 kbps.  The enhanced service continues to be offered to users free of charge.

The HKCEC’s Wi-fi access covers all exhibition halls and meeting rooms together with their foyers, all public areas, and the Centre’s seven restaurants. 

Besides fast and convenient access to the web, popular sites like Facebook and Twitter, visitors, event attendees and restaurant guests at the HKCEC can also check emails on web-based mail sites such as Yahoo, Gmail, Hotmail and AOL. 

A wireless LAN system was first set up at the HKCEC in early 2005, as a result of investment by Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (Management) Limited (“HML”), the HKCEC’s professional private management company. Since then, information communication technology has developed rapidly while mobile devices have proliferated, leading to rapidly rising demand for wireless connectivity from HKCEC exhibitors, buyers, visitors and users alike.

Ms Monica Lee-Müller, HML’s Deputy Managing Director, commented, “As a professional venue management and operating company, we are constantly investing in change in order to make business – and life more generally – simpler and easier for our valued customers.  HKCEC users arrive here from every part of the world.  We understand that Internet connectively is especially crucial to them, and the free wireless Internet access we provide is vital in enabling them to stay in touch with their homes and offices at all times.”

Mr David Levin, CEO of UBM, a longstanding proponent of free Wi-fi services to the global industry’s venue customers, said today, “The management of the HKCEC is to be applauded for leading the industry in providing this critical and basic business service to the users of the venue without charge.  I commend the management for also continuing to upgrade their Wi-fi service, to the benefit of its clients, visitors and guests”. UBM is the holding company of UBM Asia, the largest international commercial exhibition organiser to use the HKCEC.

“HML is committed to heightening the customer experience at the HKCEC,” Ms Lee-Müller points out. “We take ongoing initiatives to upgrade our services and stay ahead of our competition in the region, and we are proud to be recognised as Asia’s best.”