Martin Li

    martin.mouse.163.com

    A FUTIAN District resident surnamed Zeng said he often visits Lianhua Hill Park with his wife and son on weekends, to relax after busy work weeks.

    Zeng said he now uses the park’s free WiFi service to take pictures of his son with his mobile phone and email them immediately to his parents, who don’t live in Shenzhen.

    “My parents then send their happy comments back to us. We can communicate with our parents and friends through mobile Internet access anytime in the park, without paying a penny,” Zeng said.

    Lianhua Hill Park is one of two city-level parks currently providing free WiFi service. The other is Shenzhen International Garden and Flower Expo Park, according to Shenzhen Park Management Center. Parkgoers can search mobile devices for wireless networks and look for a free network associated with the city. Networks at different parks have different names.

    The center is making efforts to cover all parks under its management with free WiFi service within this year.

    Under a pilot program, the free service is subsidized by the center in cooperation with China Mobile.

    The center is paying China Mobile about 2,400 yuan (US$387) per month for each WiFi hotspot. China Mobile had installed WiFi facilities in 13 Shenzhen parks by the end of last year, according to the center’s website.

    The center has installed 11 new WiFi service facilities in six parks across the city: Shenzhen Bay Park, Shenzhen Children’s Park, Shenzhen Central Park, Lianhua Hill Park, Yangtai Mountain Forest Park and Meilin Park.

    The completed facilities are being tested.