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story category Free Wi-Fi For AT&T Laptop Connect Users
HSDPA and EDGE users now have an extra option...
04:38PM Tuesday May 20 2008 by Karl Bode
tags: business · wireless · alternatives · Cingular Wireless
AT&T today announced that Laptop Connect (HSDPA/EDGE) customers can now access the AT&T Wi-Fi network (17,000 Wi-Fi hot spots) free of charge. According to a leaked memo obtained by the Boy Genius Report, free Wi-Fi for smartphone users will be arriving "later this year." The launch of free smartphone Wi-Fi has been a messy affair, with service (and AT&T website mentions) showing up and then disappearing again. I'm going out on a crazy, wild limb to guess that AT&T will officially launch free smartphone Wi-Fi when the iPhone drops in June.

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Forums » Free Wi-Fi For AT&T Laptop Connect Users
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Post a:

Rumny

@bellsouth.net

at&t Rocks!

Just keeps getting better.......
Cjaiceman

join:2004-10-12
Englewood, CO
·Comcast

Not just for the iPhone users

Sweet, that means I will fall into this group. This would be nice when (if they haven't already) taken over the Starbucks from T-Mobile. Lots of free internet places Now, I just have to find a power outlet

Corona
It's cool, I'm takin it back
Premium
join:2000-03-14
San Antonio, TX

Re: Not just for the iPhone users

Does that mean I double qualify, since I have ATT DSL and unlimited DATA on an ATT Wireless account?


Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02

Re: Not just for the iPhone users

Yes, I believe it means AT&T pays you to use Wi-Fi.

Corona
It's cool, I'm takin it back
Premium
join:2000-03-14
San Antonio, TX

Re: Not just for the iPhone users

SWEET!

Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02

Re: Not just for the iPhone users

I'm not sure, but I think you get free candy, too.

Corona
It's cool, I'm takin it back
Premium
join:2000-03-14
San Antonio, TX

Re: Not just for the iPhone users

now you're just makin fun and bein mean. :|

Mizzat
This space for rent
Premium
join:2003-05-03
Atlanta, GA

Makes sense

Well that makes sense, it costs less to provide Internet over landline based WiFi than wireless. Win-win!
--
-M
greenman

join:2002-06-18
Athens, GA


edit:
May 20th, @04:42PM

It's not really free

Don't you have to be an AT&T broadband client in order for you to take advantage of this? That's not really free, it's an extended part of your original service contract - like calling anyone free who is 'in' the network. Local hotspot affiliates who use proprietary wifi solutions might see a jump in customers if they just went to truly free wifi services.

ablack6596

join:2005-01-28
Scarsdale, NY

Re: It's not really free

I didn't have access to it before, now I do and I'm not paying any more than I was before. It's free to ATT customers that pay for any other type of connection to the internet.
Madtown

join:2008-04-26
Madera, CA

AT&T

Those AT&T WiFI hotspots are very useful when you're out and about.

Starbucks in my area now have them too.

mikes60
A View From Paradise
Premium
join:2001-07-31
Boynton Beach, FL
·AT&T Southeast

Re: AT&T Hot Spots

The free AT&T Hot Spots are a bonus, but beware.

Most airports and convention centers and many high-end hotels are listed as "Premium" locations, which are not free.

IF you have your DSL thru the old BellSouth territory, its $19.99 per month for the "Premium" locations.

I signed up for the $19.99 plan earlier this month because I would use it enough to make the charge reasonable.

The real problem is that most of the "Premium" locations are really partnerships with other Wi-Fi providers. After trying to use three different locations- 1 hotel, 1 airport and 1 convention center, I cancelled my service for a full refund.

The problem is that there is no standard logon protocol with these partners, and it took me about an hour in each location to get through to AT&T, who then transferred me to the local partner who kept me on hold for another 20 minutes.

I was finally able to make only one connection out of three.

Sometimes free- isn't really free.
--
No good deed goes unpunished.
patcat88

join:2002-04-05
Jamaica, NY

Re: AT&T Hot Spots

"Premium" is just a synonym for roaming.

mikes60
A View From Paradise
Premium
join:2001-07-31
Boynton Beach, FL
·AT&T Southeast

Re: AT&T Hot Spots

said by patcat88 See Profile :

"Premium" is just a synonym for roaming.
That's exactly what I said above-" "Premium" locations are really partnerships with other Wi-Fi providers".

But, you missed the point, in this case the Premium or roaming Hot-Spots are not included in the free access.

It's $9.95 per month extra in most AT&T areas, but it is $19.95 per month in the the old BellSouth territory.

Call it what ever you want, premium or roaming is almost impossible to connect-- at least in my experience.
--
No good deed goes unpunished.
benc
Premium
join:2007-06-17
Glen Carbon, IL
·Charter Pipeline
·Future Nine Corpor..
·Callcentric
·AT&T Midwest

Caps?

So I know that unfortunately, AT&T has a 5GB monthly data transfer cap if you connect via the HSDPA network.

If you just so happen to be using one of their Wi-Fi hot spots, would any of that data transfer count against your 5GB cap?

If so it's almost pointless. Sure, the Wi-Fi is likely to be faster than the HSDPA, but if the cap still applies you'll just burn through it faster.

That and to me and many others, the Wi-Fi is almost pointless. How many such hot spots are there? None in the places I'm likely to go to. I go to a Starbucks occasionally, but I just buy a medium size coffee and leave; it's in and out in ten minutes.
Forums » Free Wi-Fi For AT&T Laptop Connect Users


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