Y5Zone expanding social hot spots

Entrepreneur Billy Yeung knows about trends. The former Hong Kong Telecom employee helped establish the firm's Netvigator internet service in 1996, but as executive director of start-up Y5Zone he now focuses on the migration from fixed to wireless internet technology.

Y5Zone operates 136 Wi-fi hot spots throughout Hong Kong and expects the number to reach 300 by the end of the year, based on the combination of greater consumer awareness and a wider variety of Wi-fi devices.

'I think this year there's going to be a lot more gadgets, they are going to be bigger, better and cheaper, and I think that is going to help Wi-fi,' he said.

In Europe and the United States, Wi-fi is a mainstay of coffee shops, public areas and airports. Leading aggregator iPass now has 20,092 hot spots in 51 countries.

But despite this global proliferation, Mr Yeung said Hong Kong users had not fully embraced the technology. Y5Zone is trying to build a body of users among three groups it expects will be the earliest adopters - overseas business travellers, local executives and students.

The strategy is visible in the firm's choice of hot spots, ranging from premium locations such as the International Finance Centre and restaurants in SoHo and Lan Kwai Fong, to KFC outlets and bowling centres, driving ranges and karaoke chains.