God bless the Dutch – they know how to build an airport that caters to the tech traveler in style! If you’re connecting through Amsterdam-Schipol (IATA: AMS) with more than an hour or so between flights be sure to go upstairs in the main Lounge 2 (see PDF map) to the KPN Communication Centre. The only bad thing I have to say about it is that it doesn’t open until 6:00am. If you arrive as I did before that, you’ll have to login wirelessly on your own.
But if you do wait until the Communication Centre opens (as several travelers did, like puppy dogs needing to pee) you’ll be rewarded. The atrium-side PCs have 9-in-1 card readers, all have widescreen LCD monitors, and the software is very elegant though a little tricky if your webmail opens messages in a new window.
Purchase a code from the counter, and you can log on in seconds. As with most public computing, be sure to practice safe computing and log off when you’re done. When your session expires, the software automatically reboots windows , which should clear any cached passwords. All the standard applications are available.
If you want to plug in your own machine, they’ve got power outlets with both North American and European connectors, as well as wired Ethernet (didn’t check whether it was gigabit or not). All of this comes in an aesthetic – furniture, lighting and view – that makes you feel like you’re at a cool coffee shop in a hip part of town, not some cubicle den that’s been hastily erected at the back of the airport. Hats off to Amsterdam Schipol and KPN for setting the standard. Other airport operations please take notice.
There was one niggle – on my PDA (a Windows Mobile 5-equipped machine) their WiFi login page wouldn’t load in Internet Explorer. Most airport portals manage to avoid javascript or other web nasties that don’t work in mobile-formatted browsers.
The rates aren’t posted on their site, so I’m listing them below. They’re fairly reasonable:
WiFi
(Hotspots run by KPN, but supported roaming partners include: Xs4all, Boingo, iPass.)
€6=30mins
€12=90mins
€16=Day connection
Wired
€6=30 mins
€0.20/add min
Desktop PCs
€3=15 mins
€6=30mins
€9=60mins
Mini-office (ms office, tel, fax, printer, copier, scanner)
€16=30 mins
€0.45/add’l min
Enjoy!
Your tech world traveler…
Filed under: Connectivity, Travel, WiFi Tagged: | airport, Amsterdam
Americans, check your policy. Boingo roaming is 12 cents per minute. You need to have a worldwide plan to have unlimited internet. This plan is about $60/month.
I’m Canadian, btw. Boingo has some weak areas (not very available in Asia). Unfortunately there isn’t yet one Wifi access pass that fully covers the globe. iPass used to do that, but like many former hotspot providers, it is increasingly hard to find in many parts of the world.
This blog moved – please check out http://www.techforworldtravel.com for the latest.
Maybe you Europeans (and citizens of other developed countries too) need to look at the standards of WiFi services including power outlets are offered in different third world countries airport (like Delhi) are offered at what rate (FREE)!
I – the author of this blog – live in India (Chennai to be precise), where there is only one outlet in the departure gate area, and no WiFi at all, not even in the lounges.
This blog has moved (several years ago) so if you’d like to read more up-to-date posts, please go to techforworldtravel.com.