The WIFI Desert that is Germany

[bylo]

<RANT>
One more irritant is that where there is free WiFi on offer, McD, Starbucks, airports, etc. you need a functional phone in order to get an access code via SMS. Not everyone who visits DE and AT has such a phone or has a phone plan that allows for international roaming. This is particularly irritating at airports because people arrive from all over the world and this is quite a poor way to welcome them.
</RANT>

By contrast in North America free WiFi is either usable without any barrier or at worst after you click to accept boilerplate terms and conditions on a browser page.

[DRNewcomb]

Originally Posted by bylo

<RANT>
This is particularly irritating at airports because people arrive from all over the world and this is quite a poor way to welcome them.
</RANT>

It's Germany; they "have regulations". If they didn't have regulations, they'd have to call it "Italy".