Poland is ranked as the 19th country in the world in terms of Internet use. If you are a fresh student coming on your Polish academic adventure or a new employee entering our job market, the Internet will be an essential tool in your day to day activities. Here are a few ways of getting connected to the net.

Public Wi-Fi networks

Poland is full of hotspots and once your plane lands here – you can immediately access airport wireless networks. You can also find public Wi-Fi signs in big cities and get some Internet even in smaller ones (next to schools, universities, shopping malls etc.). Businesses in Poland are not keen on installing as many passwords as in other countries, but if you happen to stumble upon a locked network in a café – do not be ashamed to ask for the password. Very often it is also scribbled on the wall or on the menu.

Mobile Internet

If your stay in Poland is supposed to be rather short, no need to draw complex contracts with Internet providers – a cell phone will do just fine. It is also useful if you simply value having Internet access 24/7 over your smartphone. In Poland, a popular solution is a prepaid starter card of one of the four major cell phone networks (Orange, Play, Plus, T-Mobile). You can top up your account whenever you run out of means.

Those staying longer in Poland and signing a contract with a phone network should pay attention to the cell phone plan of their choice. Make sure your offer, apart from the attractive call and message packs, matches your Internet needs and includes enough data to surf the net. Try to find the best options – e.g. LTE Internet access covering most areas in Poland.

Cable or local network

A lot of people in Poland use the Internet coming along with their cable TV and use wireless routers at home. It is convenient (you pay one bill covering both TV and Internet cost), often financially attractive (companies like to offer discounts to new clients), and most importantly – reliable. Data transmission in such Internet connections is usually very fast. The only drawback is that you can access them in bigger towns and city areas – not necessarily in the countryside.

For those in less urbanised areas, local Internet providers can be a solution. There are no general standards here – the best solution is to ask your neighbours what provider they use and sign up if you accept the terms offered to the local community.

DSL broadband

For non-expert users, the experience of DSL Internet will be similar to the cable one – they essentially pay the bills and get stable Internet access. DSL connections use telephone technology and are one of the oldest forms of Internet access, e.g. through Neostrada or Netia services.

There are obviously more forms of Internet access, apart from those most popular ones mentioned above. Hopefully, you will be able to access the net as soon as you put your feet on Polish soil. We want you to stay in touch with your loved ones and to be able to visit studyinpoland.info. online!