THE Penang Free WiFi (PFW) service will be suspended beginning February 13 due to its poor internet speeds.

State Public Works, Utilities and Flood Mitigation Committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari said the state government was currently looking at ways to improve the service.

“Currently, the PFW offers speeds of up to 512kbps per AP (access point),” he said, adding that it will eventually be increased to 2 mbps per AP with a 50-user capacity.

Speaking at a press conference after the opening of the HMC Clinic at Solaris Square in George Town today, he said since its launch in 2009, there have been about 670,000 logins to use the service.

Zairil said the state government will reintroduce the service by the second half of the year through a ‘co-branding’ model, with the request for proposal expected to be held in the first quarter.

“It is in line with the state government’s aspiration towards becoming a world-class smart city and achieving Penang Vision 2030: A family-focused Green and Smart State to Inspire the Nation,” he added. – Bernama, January 19, 2019.