Wireless internet in Warsaw

Hey,

in December I'm going to be in Warsaw for a week, staying at the Marriott. I'll bring my laptop with me so I was looking at the costs for (wireless) internet provided bij them but the rates are terrible!

Does anyone have advice for me how to get a connection with a wireless network over there, and if possible for a normal price, I only need it for 7 days.

Dzięki

You don't have many options here.... you can

* try to find open wireless networks - shouldn't be a problem since Mariott is in city center ;]
* get yourself gsm prepaid card and connect to the internet via cell phone

If you have wireless usb stick (3G connection) you can buy Play Internet Prepaid Card. There are few kinds of starters - you need Play Internet. Package includes sim-card that you can put in to your wireless modem and 1GB of data bandwith. Starter pack costs 19,00 PLN. You can buy additional limit: 2GB data traffic for 30,00 PLN and 4GB for 50,00 PLN. If I remember correctly, Play works only with 3G network so make sure that you have 3G/HSDPA 2100MHz Cell Phone or modem. You can choose also Era, Plus or Orange - each operator offer data tarrifs but they are much more expensive -> 0,30 PLN for each 1MB!

I recommend Play. You have to go to Play Shop and ask for Play internet Prepaid. You can visit playmobile.pl but I can't find english version (shame on you Play)

Play's not too bad. They had some system problems a few weeks ago, and I, along with many others couldn't load our sim cards, but it was sorted in a few days.

Awkward customer service though.

^ Customer service from all the phone companies here is crap. I've complained three times in the past week about having no Internet on my iPhone. Each time their reply has been 'there are too many users so we switched network resources to voice transmission".

UPC for the landline in my new flat are a pleasant surprise compared to the rest. And their internet service, with free WIFI, router is fast and cheap.

Play pay-as-you go is quite slow, but enough to use day to day. Just pray that you don't need to phone them for anything.

They didn't switch anything - this is how gprs operate - voice have priority over data so when there are too many users connected to single BTS station then you can have no internet access (via gprs... or there is an internet connection but very low quality). I'm not sure how about edge technology, but for sure there are no such problems with hsdpa (separate resources for voice and data traffic).

Thanks for this information, but I'm a little confused since I'm using laptop... So what's the use of this pre-paid card if I don't want internet on my mobile?

Explain more pls

You have to buy simlock free wireless modem or buy device form the operator.

Play:

NOTE: Play works only in big, medium and some small cities. If you want to have internet service everywhere - choose Era, Plus or Orange. Play limit also download speed up to 1Mbit.

Pay-as-you-go (prepaid):
web.playmobile.pl/pl/internet/oferta-na-karte/index.html

19,00 PLN -> 1GB Starter only (with sim-card). 14 days of account validity
269,00 PLN -> 1GB Starter (14 days of account validity) + USB wireless modem (usb stick)
499,00 PLN -> 31GB Starter (365 days of account validity) + USB wireless modem (usb stick)

Data packages:
refill your account for either 30 or 50 PLN. Note that you HAVE TO refill your account for exacly 30 or 50 PLN (not 29,99 or 49,50 etc.)

30,00 PLN -> 2GB for 28 days
50,00 PLN -> 4GB for 56 days

Play coverage map: internet.playmobile.pl/maps/
dark violet - voice and internet service available
light violet - voice service only

You can also sign contract for 24 months and get wireless modem for 1 PLN, but you have to pay fees for each month until your subscription ends.

If you want to have service everywhere I recommend Simplus Internet Packages (Plus network).
Go to Plus shop. Ask sales assistant for "Mój Profil" (My Profile) in Simplus (prepaid).
You can buy Simplus starter and activate "Twój Profil"

You can buy: simplus.pl/v.do?idx=1187791
25MB data traffic - 5 PLN
100 MB - 10 PLN
250 MB - 20 PLN
500 MB - 35 PLN

You can activate only one package at the time - you can activate only one of each (ex. one 500MB and one 250MB which is 750MB for 55PLN)

Package is valid for 30 days.

Remember that Plus, Era, Orange have service everywhere, Play don't but Play is cheap. Choice is yours.

Related: Wireless connection near kinoteka in Warsaw?


On Krakowskie Przedmieście and in Stare Miasto you have free WiFi (provided by the city).
But capacity is limited.
Otherwise try Starbucks.