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story category Time Warner Cable Strikes Fon Deal
Cable customers get free access to Wi-Fi network...
(old news - 09:01AM Monday Apr 23 2007)
tags: business · wireless
Time Warner Cable has confirmed earlier rumors about a deal with Spanish hotspot operator Fon. The cable company will allow its customers to officially operate Fon hotspots, and those users will have free access to the entire Fon network. Fon's concept violates the terms of service of most broadband providers. In the past, the company has even gotten in trouble for suggesting partnerships that didn't actually exist. Fon says they have around 60,000 customers in the United States, and Time Warner Cable has some 6.6 million broadband subscribers.

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Forums » Time Warner Cable Strikes Fon Deal
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inteller
Sociopaths always win.

join:2003-12-08
Tulsa, OK

Holy moly....

This is the first time I've ever seen something go from illegitimate to legit. Has hell frozen over? Fon just saved their business model overnight!

TK Junk Mail
Go ahead, make my day
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Margate City, NJ
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edit:
April 23rd, @09:18AM

Re: Holy moly....

said by inteller See Profile :

This is the first time I've ever seen something go from illegitimate to legit. Has hell frozen over? Fon just saved their business model overnight!
But I'll bet it won't change Time Warner's abuse policies for using too much bandwidth over a period of time. Users that open their connection and who live in heavy tourist areas will have to make sure they set the Fonero router to limit bandwidth usage on the public channel so they don't find themselves disconnected for overusage.
La Fonera router is secure out-of-the-box and offers two distinct WiFi channels. One channel is for the exclusive use of its owner; the second channel is shared with other Foneros. The La Fonera increases security through an encrypted private network and Foneros decide how much bandwidth to share. Public users cannot access the private network and there is no anonymous usage.
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hobgoblin
Sortof Agoblin
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Orchard Park, NY
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Re: Holy moly....

"But I'll bet it won't change Time Warner's abuse policies for using too much bandwidth over a period of time."

Are you thinking Comcast?

Hob
--
"A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds."
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ColorBASIC
8-bit Fun
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join:2006-12-29
Corona, CA
Does TWC even enforce their abuse policy when it comes to excessive bandwidth? I haven't heard of anyone getting a call, nastygram or anything from TWC for excessive use.

Speedy8
Premium
join:2002-08-22
Alliance, OH
clubs:

Re: Holy moly....

I've never gotten a warning letter, and I use far more than the average person. I've had roadrunner since 1997.

novaflare
The Dragon Was Here
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join:2002-01-24
Barberton, OH

said by ColorBASIC See Profile :

Does TWC even enforce their abuse policy when it comes to excessive bandwidth? I haven't heard of anyone getting a call, nastygram or anything from TWC for excessive use.
Far as i know they dont have a excessive bandwidth poilicy at all. I got one call from them on band width useage years ago. I hosted a large patch download for a beta game that put my upload over 30 gigs in a month up from just over 1 gig. They called to let me know my upstream useage had seen a huge jump and wanted to make sure that i was not infected with a trojan or other "nasty". The same month i toped out at around 300 gig dl from the same game and another one going through alot of patches near their end of betas. I only knew about the useage because i asked them to look.
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Authority
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said by TK Junk Mail See Profile :

But I'll bet it won't change Time Warner's abuse policies for using too much bandwidth over a period of time.
I'll take that bet. With a TWC approved open AP on the line, how can the consumer have any control over bandwidth used? I can't imagine they'd penalize a customer for doing what they told them to do (install in open AP).

imagine the torrent use now...
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join:2004-04-29
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Re: Holy moly....

said by Authority See Profile :

I'll take that bet. With a TWC approved open AP on the line, how can the consumer have any control over bandwidth used? I can't imagine they'd penalize a customer for doing what they told them to do (install in open AP).

imagine the torrent use now...
You can control and throttle the public channel yourself

you also make money each time someone uses your public channel...

TransitMan
Premium,MVM
join:2000-09-05
Dayton, OH
clubs:
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Re: Holy moly....

said by Tikker_LoS See Profile :
You can control and throttle the public channel yourself

Not from what I saw on the 2 FONs I have.

you also make money each time someone uses your public channel...

That's only if you sign up as a business capable of hosting the FON. Regular users here won't be in that catagory.
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Tikker_LoS

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Re: Holy moly....

said by TransitMan See Profile :



you also make money each time someone uses your public channel...

That's only if you sign up as a business capable of hosting the FON. Regular users here won't be in that catagory.
you just have to set your profile to Bill, instead of linus
there's absolutely nothing in there about consumer/business/residential

Authority
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said by Tikker_LoS See Profile :

you also make money each time someone uses your public channel...
..or maybe in this deal TW makes the money?
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justmesqui
Just-
Premium
join:2004-05-14
BH9 2RJ
Has hell frozen over?

i dont know but if it hasen't its about to happen

this is huge news and good news for once

Blasterbator
Sent By Grocery Clerks

join:2001-02-20
Jackson, MS

Re: Holy moly....

I'm more than a little amazed at this news. I'll be curious to see what sort of one-upmanship this breeds...

novaflare
The Dragon Was Here
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join:2002-01-24
Barberton, OH

Re: Holy moly....

said by Blasterbator See Profile :

I'm more than a little amazed at this news. I'll be curious to see what sort of one-upmanship this breeds...
Heh should be fun to watch for sure. With twc on board what cable companies will follow their lead? Also how many new upstarts will we see going head to head with fon?
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Jeffrey
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said by inteller See Profile :

This is the first time I've ever seen something go from illegitimate to legit. Has hell frozen over? Fon just saved their business model overnight!
Wow.

I just checked the calendar to make sure I didn't miss April fools.
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MysticGogeta
The Robot Devil
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join:2005-03-14
League City, TX
clubs:
Remind your self its just fon.
MartyParty

join:2001-01-03
Dallas, TX

i don't plan on going to spain :P

what about us americans

newview
Ex .. Ex .. Exactly
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join:2001-10-01
Parsonsburg, MD
·Vonage

Re: i don't plan on going to spain :P

said by MartyParty See Profile :

what about us americans

There are LOTS of "FONspots" in the USA . . . take a look.



With this announcement . . . I suspect the number will explode, at least in Time Warner Cable areas.
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Re: i don't plan on going to spain :P

In Queens where I am, we have 0 HOTSPOTS from FON. We have Time Warner Cable, and RCN as ISPs here as well as Verizon DSL.

We do have tons of inhouse wifi networks 2 and 3 blocks from me. But they have limited range are pretty much indoors only.

Will this expand usage of FON routers over here? I cant answer that, but I do remember the days when Time Warner Cable SUED buildings such as residential buildings, which implemented WiFi networks using Time Warner Cable's broadband connection. Now those buildings don't have to worry about litigation.

RCN NEVER persued litigation against hotspots however around here.

My own gut feeling is we will have the same number of FON routers here as before this announcement : 0

NJxxxJon
something good. or your mom.
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00000
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FON

...I got the little router in the mail for free.......I bet I dont need TIME WARN to get FREE access. Anyone care to join in making a backyard FON network??
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Booger

Re: FON

This is awesome!

jgkolt
Premium
join:2004-02-21
Lakewood, OH
clubs:

Good?

What is the business benefit for time warner in this deal?
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majortom1029

join:2006-10-19
Lindenhurst, NY

Re: Good?

The benifit is that time warner gets to advertise that time warner customers get free wifi access where available.

newview
Ex .. Ex .. Exactly
Premium
join:2001-10-01
Parsonsburg, MD
·Vonage

Perhaps they plan on doing away with dial-up?

quote:
Remote Access - Away from home? You can still check email with both dial-up access and Web Mail provided only for Road Runner customers. That means no separate charges for those occasions when you need to access your homepage or email while away from home.
»www.timewarnercable.com/corporat···res.html

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Blasterbator
Sent By Grocery Clerks

join:2001-02-20
Jackson, MS

Re: Good?

No, it must be part of their global strategy to integrate AOL into their broadband cable services
Tikker_LoS

join:2004-04-29
Regina, SK
·SaskTel Saskatchewan

said by jgkolt See Profile :

What is the business benefit for time warner in this deal?
when some random person uses my FON they pay $2
Fon gets 25%, I get 25% and the ISP gets 50%

swintec
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Alfred, ME
·surpasshosting
·VoicePulse
·RoadRunner Cable


edit:
April 23rd, @03:29PM

Actually this is a good idea..

I just have to wonder:

- Will the speed increases be put to a halt over something like this?

- Does the FON device allow for QoS, after all, I want to be able to use my connection first, before any of the "outsiders"

- What ramifications will this have for RIAA lawsuits and such? With TW being so large, and if this thing takes off, is this a blow to the RIAA's tactics?

EDIT-- Is there still a method of getting one of these things for free? I remember sometime ago they were giving them away.

TransitMan
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join:2000-09-05
Dayton, OH
clubs:
·RoadRunner Cable
·Time Warner VOIP
·Earthlink TrueVoice
·Earthlink Cable Mo..
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Re: Actually this is a good idea..

The FON device has no QoS. You have the public side, and the private side.
You cannot control who uses what as far as bandwidth is concerned. It is like a first come, first serve deal.
And while there will be those who will abuse the free services being offered by FONeros, the rest of the users will be respectful of the free offerings outside their respective homes.

As for them still offering them for free, good question.
I managed to get 2 of them. Ran the first one until I got a warning email about high usage on my ISP provided line. (Over and above what my household normally uses in a month.)
I have also noticed several other open access points within a close proximity of my residence that can be used without any restrictions. (So far!)

Since then, I killed the FON's, and hacked them with DD-WRT firmware and now use them exclusively in my house as closed access points.
By doing this, I negated my free roaming on the FON network. Not a big deal to me though. Don't go anywhere much.

While I applaud TWC and FON for working something like this out, I think that FON has a long way to go really win folks over here in the states, especially with the **AA's breathing down our respective bandwidths looking for nefarious users.
I for one do not want to be on the receiving end of a **AA letter offering me a chance to pay extortion monies the settlement fee for something I do not do or really believe in. And that should be a fear of those who are thinking about getting in on the FON deal with TWC here in the states.
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Forums » Time Warner Cable Strikes Fon Deal


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