If slow buffering speeds and laggy websites are the bane of your life, the time has come for you to celebrate.
Google will finally launch its mesh networking system Google Wifi in Singapore on August 31 in an exclusive partnership with local telco StarHub, six months after the product made its debut in the U.S.
So what exactly is Google Wifi, and more importantly, will it solve your Netflix streaming woes?
Well, yes. At least according to Google. The Internet giant claims that mesh networking systems are able to solve connectivity problems like dead zones in your home, as well provide seamless coverage across various rooms. They’re even said to be more effective than range extenders.
Instead of using a single router, Google Wifi has multiple “hubs” acting as individual channels. With the Google Wifi app, these hubs will relay your device to the channel with the best connection or strongest signal, transitioning from room to room, ensuring you have speedy Internet no matter which part of the home you’re in.
There’s just one slight caveat though.
As Google Wifi is a StarHub exclusive product, M1 or Singtel users will have to sign a two-year contract with the company. A StarHub staff will then come to your home to install the routers for you, after which you’ll have to fork out $15/month for the next two years. Every additional router will cost $199 per piece.
However, Google Wifi is available on Google’s online store in countries like the U.S., UK, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Although Alex King, a Google Wifi product manager, said that getting a set from another country is not advisable, due to unique channel regulations in different countries, so you might be unable to access certain websites.
Martin Geh, Google’s managing director for Asia-Pacific hardware partnerships, declined to comment on how long Google’s deal with StarHub will last.
One thing’s for certain though: if you’ve been yearning for a way to bolster your Internet speeds, the answer is lying right in front of you.
Just remember, you’ll have to incur some extra StarHub charges for that to happen.
For more information, visit madeby.google.com/wifi.
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