Internet in China: what you need to know
Getting internet access installed in China is nothing complicated. Once you have selected the provider, all you need to do it to visit one of their shops. Do not forget to bring your passport. You should know that the internet connection in China is controlled in order to censure ‘non-suitable‘ websites from the Chinese search engines. This censure forbids similar websites:
- Websites of political groups
- Religious websites
- Websites with content banished from media
- Pornographic websitesShanghai offers many Internet cafés.
Here are some useful addresses:
Shanghai Library Internet Cafe
1555 Huaihai Zhong Lu Shanghai 200032
Phone: 6445 5555
Situated in a great library, equipped with modern computers. A membership card is necessary.
Conker Internet Cafe
1954 Xin Zha Lu, Shanghai
Phone: 6218 8985
Modern computers, non-smoking and air-conditioned space, drinks and sandwiches available, open 24h/24
Internet Café Shanghai
3 floor Hao Du Plaza, 400 East Jin Llng Lu
Phone: 6355 7070
An entirely non-smoking café with all the equipment necessary to browse or to work on the internet. Coffee and beer available. Moreover, many free Wi-Fi hotspots are available in hotels, cafés and commercial centers all around the city.
In order to use Internet in Shanghai, you need to identify yourself with your true name After Beijing, Guangzhou and Shenzen, Shanghai is the fourth city to demand its residents who wish to have their micro blog (equivalent to tumblr and twitter) to identify themselves with their true identity.
This small internet reform concerns all individual or collective users who are hence obliged to register with their real names on their favorite websites. As announced by the authorities, these new regulations will soon cover the majority of micro bloggers. According to the Shanghai town hall, this decision was taken ‘in accordance with Chinese laws and regulations‘, its objective is to contribute to ‘the creation of a healthy Internet culture‘ and to ‘improve managing of the social networks and the tools of instant messaging
You surely know that Facebook and Twitter are not accessible in China. For these you will need a VPN (Virtual Private Network).
Online grocery shopping in Shanghai
While crossing any subway station, you cannot avoid interactive advertising of the online supermarkets. If you don’t know them yet, it is very simple: Practically everywhere in town but especially in the subway stations, you can see gigantic posters representing the aisles of a supermarket where each product has its barcode. Using your Smartphone’s camera (after downloading an app specified on the poster), you scan the barcodes of the products you want and they will be automatically added to your ‘shopping cart‘. As for each purchase on the Internet, you can choose the delivery mode (generally free of charge). Surprisingly, the payment is not online. You pay for your shopping, when the delivery man brings your order to your home.
In addition to a secure ‘offline‘ payment and a delivery free of charge, this service proposes products at advantageous prices, comparing to the classic supermarkets. Online grocery shopping in Shanghai is not only practical but economic too! Only one small issue: the online supermarkets propose non perishable goods. For fruit and vegetables, you will have to go to an actual shop. But do not worry; markets and grocery shops are not a rare thing in Shanghai…
