A SECURITY feature typically used by large corporations to secure their Internet connections has now been added for free to Singapore's island-wide wireless network .

The new function, called Wireless@SG Virtual Private Network (VPN), will be offered as a complimentary benefit to all users until the end of next year.

VPN tools are deployed by large companies to encrypt the data that their employees send over external networks such as their home broadband connections or the wireless hotspot in a restaurant or cafe. Encryption acts as a digital vault to prevent information theft, a fear that is heightened when using public Internet connections such as Wireless@SG.

Wireless@SG was launched in December 2006 as part of the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore's (IDA) initiative to boost local broadband adoption by making it easier for both local users and overseas visitors to hook up to a ubiquitous public wireless network.

This service is provided by three operators - iCell, SingTel, and QMax - and promises download speeds of up to 512Kbps. Collectively, the trio have nearly one million registered users who are surfing for free in the central business district and major town centres in the suburbs.

All three Wireless@SG providers are now offering the Wireless@SG VPN feature on their respective log-in sites.

Users can activate the encryption function by selecting the 'Encrypt your Wireless Connection' icon or the 'Launch SSL VPN' link on their operators' home pages.

'The VPN service provides secure wireless access by encrypting the data transmitted over the Wireless@SG network, so that users can have greater peace of mind while surfing the Internet and using applications such as e-mail, instant messaging and file-sharing,' according to an IDA fact sheet.

Besides improving security, further enhancements to the Wireless@SG network are also being planned. All three providers are now testing an alternative method called Seamless and Secure Access (SSA) for logging on to the network.

Currently, subscribers have to key in their usernames and passwords to access the Wireless@SG network but SSA will allow automatic logon without the need for manual credentials input. In addition, it also supports data encryption for added security.

Microsoft and Nokia are the technology partners for the ongoing trial, which is being offered at selected locations such as Suntec City Hall, Vivo City and Wisma Atria.

This story was first published in The Business Times on 25 August 2008.