“We did not build a Wi-Fi hotspot with a shed. We put up waiting sheds in bus stops with an add-on Internet connection.” – that was the premise behind Manila’s new project in improving public transportation. While most people do liked the idea, a few people thought otherwise. I tried it myself and found my expectations exceeded.
The Signal
Just like most days, I found myself in the University of Santo Tomas, and along España Boulevard lies one of the said bus stops. With the surrounding area being extremely spacious and open, I estimated the WiFi’s signal strength to be as far as 120ft before disconnecting.
Now that would sound extremely strong for public WiFi, but then again, keep in mind that there were no hindrances to the signal. The WiFi signal dropped a few bars once I entered a nearby building in UST. Nevertheless, I’m sure students inside UST or people living inside the buildings across the street would find this very convenient.
Connecting
Note that their portal is looking for advertisers, just like how the waiting sheds are going to host ads and not just “epal” posters.
Once you connect to the WiFi, you’ll be asked to sign-in into the network. You will be greeted by a welcome page then a registration page. You’ll be asked for your full name, age, mobile number & email-address. Right there and then, you will be handed out your username and password on the page itself. If that’s not enough, you’ll be receiving a text as well.
I used the same username and password two days after; one username = one device.
There’s a specific time limit for use, but anyway you can register all over again.
The Speed & Experience
We took a speed test on the connection and we managed to get 1.62mbps down and .34mbps up.
Looking around, we noticed that there was no one on the waiting shed to be found using their mobile devices. However, as I’ve said, I’m sure students & other people inside buildings nearby can access that too, and in UST alone, there were so many students sitting within 120ft away in open space.
Two days after, I tried it again. This time however, I found the internet to be quite unstable. Speedtest barely registered the upload rates, connection timed out in the Play Store a lot of times, ping was inconsistent, and I can’t send my tweet.
On another note, we were able to access Facebook, Twitter, Google & all of the stuff you’d expect – even porn.
So basically that leaves us with somewhere. Here is a quick recap and here are the things we should take note of:
For safety, I guess that depends on you now & the location. Your safety varies whether you’re freeloading in a building, hanging out in a school campus, sitting down stuck in traffic near the bus stop or just staying on the waiting shed itself with your MacBook Pro out and your Beats on.
As much as I’d like our government to prioritize other things, I still think this is a job well done & implemented. At least now, to those who need internet, emergency or not, we now know that it is more accessible than ever – reliable too.
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k00k says:
I thought walang pera ang Maynila? Why the spending on glossy pictures and LED strip? If they’d wanted a wifi-enabled bus stop, why should it have pictures of the current incumbents?
Disgusting.
wew says:
sana may pulis na malapit dyan, useless din kase kahit sabihin nila na may CCTV nakuhanan nga ng video ung pagnanakaw, ni hindi nga sigurado kung makikita ung mukha ng nagnakaw pano kung nakatalikod sa camera…tas sa huli nakuha pa rin ung gamit
Tutoyz says:
Epal talaga ang kapal ng mukha kala mo sa kanila yun pera !
Halos lahat naman sila mapa sakyan nandun mukha nila !
Erappulpol says:
Erap made the snatcher’s job easier. Great job erap!
abuzalzal says:
Tranny porn or gay porn?
abuzalzal says:
Ang aga namang kampanya niyan, i-plinaster pa talaga yung mga pagmumukha nila, taenang mga corrupt politicians na ‘to
basa2x says:
Fyi lang po. Ung project n yan ay ginastusan ng mga private comp.
Ung mukha nila ay papalitan din ng mga Ads po.
buratka says:
kayo ang epal, better than nothing, atleast may improvement
wew says:
cguro politician ka rin kaya ganyan ang opinyon mo, di naman kailangan na sa bawat proyekto nila eh nakabalandra ang mga mukha nila…may napanood ako sa TV nakalimutan ko kung anong pangalan nung lugar pero ang nakalagay sa mga tarp sa mga govt projects ay, “This is a Project of the people of *insert place here*”
Nakakainis says:
Once a convicted criminal..
wew says:
lakas nila makaepal ah hahaha
Mockingbird says:
Funny how a lot would say EPAL and SHIT, can’t people look at things half full rather half empty and recognize how Things are Happening in Manila nowadays… I don’t even think the comments are from Manila Residents and Voters. To think the service is being provided for all and not only Manila residents and people still complain. When the government does nothing, people complain. When the government starts to do something, people still complain. Damn. Change has to start but complaining will never end.
wew says:
@James yeah tama ka nagkakaroon nadin kasi ng mentality ung mga politicians na pag may nagawa sila eh dapat nakabalandra ang pangalan at mukha nila, dahil tutal gawa naman nila un kahit na kung tutuusin eh trabaho nila iyon.
James says:
It’s not the bus stop that’s the problem. It’s what comes with the bus stop that’s the problem.
To make things simple for you and everyone reading this.. What would you choose? Paying for the exposure the politicians want(eg. printing/ monthly electricity of the LED strips) or the funding of another bus stop?
Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for the bus stops. But somethings are just a luxury for us to have at this time if it doesn’t provide revenue for the government. Why not just change that tarp into another advertisement. Heck, I wouldn’t mind a “it’s more fun in the philippines” tarp.
Although this might look like a step forward for a lot of people. I do think it’s just another publicity stunt for the politicians to grow their name more.
Heck, if our president did that. His face would be painted on the hulls of our newly acquired glorified frigates..
I pray that our politicians learn to value their nation more than they value their name. It’s not for us but for the generation that comes after us.
mx says:
its funnier how you just accepted this wrong doing. I mean posting political adverts on public property. kaya di umaasenso pinas eh..
Reader says:
If they want to do something nice, they have to do it right. Why do they have to make epal pa? As if naman sariling pera nila ang ginamit dyan. People would have appreciated that waiting shed more if their UGLY FACES were not on it.
The complaining will never end because when the government takes one step forward, it takes two steps back right after.
james says:
I DON’T FUCKING LIKE HOW ERAP PROJECTS HIS IMAGE ON THE FUCKING STOP. CAN’T THAT SHIT STOP? AND FUCK THAT LED STRIP. It’s an added cost, maintenance and a waste of electricity.. and all it does is tell us that it’s “a project of..”
DAMN. CHANGE HAS TO START NOW.
CJ says:
and you really had to test porn.. -_-
Greg says:
It’s hideous to even see the faces of these public officials on public property. Unless of course they spent their own money to finance these co-called projects of theirs. They can blow up their pictures to building-esque proportions for all I care. Are the taxes we are remitting also paying for their self-advertisements?
justin says:
Hahaha even porn..
Chicken says:
and of course bob tested porn sites
Iyan Sommerset says:
In the future, once all buses have complimentary WiFi, they should have a tracking system so you’ll know which buses are near/arriving which waiting shed you’re at.
abu fan says:
useful to para sa mahilig mag selfie sa kalye :P joke.. sabi sa news mapapalitan din daw yung pic nayun ng ads kaso di nabangit sa balita yung ssid name.. kala ko di na eepal e humanap padin ng way para maka epal
Reader says:
Good decision that they implemented a registration system. Super epal nga lang ng SSID. “Erap-Isko” talaga ha.
mx says:
oo nga bat ganun yung SSID sana imbes na Erap-Isko eh Maynila nalang nilagay nila. its not like sarili nilang pera yung ginagamit nila sa pag gawa at pag maintain nyan. EPALS.
Abed says:
All hail for the MacBook Pro with Beats on the waiting shed. :)
Salbutamol says:
And all the fucking criminals will rejoice in their chance to bag more goodies and pick their innocent victims. Time to kill those bastard criminals!