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Number of Free Wi-Fi Hotspots Growing Rapidly
Trend is towards offering free service in high-traffic public spaces

A new report by ABI Research predicts that the number of Wi-Fi hotspots is supposed to grow forty percent in 2008 as compared to 2007. The majority of those hot spots are being launched throughout Europe and many of them are located on public transportation and in travel service locations such as airports. The report suggests that a majority of these hotspots will offer high-speed Internet for free, stating that fee-based Wi-Fi is counterproductive because people don’t want to pay for connectivity but will pay for “value-add content downloads”. Some argue that this thinking is incorrect; that people want a fast connection so they can do the things that they like to do online and that they don’t want to be bothered by a bunch of added content offers by their hotspot provider. However ABI makes the point that the variety of different methods one may use to access the Internet (moving between a 3G phone connection and a Wi-Fi service, for example) causes charging for connectivity alone to make less and less sense.

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dadkins
Can you do Blu?
MVM
join:2003-09-26
Hercules, CA

1 edit

dadkins

MVM

DUH!

Just like here, I can go to Starschmucks and pay for WiFi, or go to the "Mom and Pop" coffee shop(better coffee anyways) and get WiFi for free. Hmmm...

See what you got.
»www.wififreespot.com/

Know of one not listed, tell them! I did!
stufried
Premium Member
join:2003-10-13

stufried

Premium Member

Re: DUH!

Starbucks is basically free. Just register a Starbucks card online and buy one cup of Joe a month with it.
SD6
join:2005-03-26
Pittsburgh, PA

SD6

Member

not from what I see

My own experience is that people are starting to secure their APs so they are no longer open and that most airport, etc. (with the possible exception of hotels), Wi-Fi is becoming daily fee. I bought a pocket hotspot wiFi finder but became tired of that and hunting for an open AP all the time, and finally just gave up and got an EV-DO plan despite the limitations. I use it for business though.
patcat88
join:2002-04-05
Jamaica, NY

patcat88

Member

Re: not from what I see

said by SD6:

I bought a pocket hotspot wiFi finder but became tired of that and hunting for an open AP all the time, and finally just gave up and got an EV-DO plan despite the limitations. I use it for business though.
Yep, I started out on wifi, but lack of usable signal where I go made me start carrying around a yagi on a 30 foot USB cord (USB has zero signal loss ). After getting fed up of people saying im carrying a penis pump with me, I got EVDO and couldn't be happier (except for caps).
ctggzg
Premium Member
join:2005-02-11
USA

ctggzg to SD6

Premium Member

to SD6
An unsecured, personal AP and a free hotspot are NOT the same thing.

TamaraB
Question The Current Paradigm
Premium Member
join:2000-11-08
Da Bronx

TamaraB

Premium Member

Re: not from what I see

An INTENTIONALLY unsecured, personal AP is IDENTICAL to a free hotspot.

MrMaster
Rum Connoisseur
Premium Member
join:2000-12-16
St Thomas, VI

MrMaster to SD6

Premium Member

to SD6
weird..I'm seeing the opposite trend.

We do lots of hotel deals and every single one of them offers free wifi. And maybe i've just been lucky but the last 5 hotels I stayed at had free wifi..even the one in Mexico!
SD6
join:2005-03-26
Pittsburgh, PA

SD6

Member

Re: not from what I see

said by MrMaster:

weird..I'm seeing the opposite trend.

We do lots of hotel deals and every single one of them offers free wifi. And maybe i've just been lucky but the last 5 hotels I stayed at had free wifi..even the one in Mexico!
I said hotels were a possible exception...
bobobird
join:2008-06-08

bobobird

Member

Wireless

one day wireless access will be free just like street lighting.
kcir
join:2005-07-30
Butner, NC

kcir

Member

Re: Wireless

said by bobobird:

one day wireless access will be free just like street lighting.
I remember when air was free at most service stations. hmm
Relic (banned)
join:2003-09-29

Relic (banned)

Member

Re: Wireless

said by kcir:
said by bobobird:

one day wireless access will be free just like street lighting.
I remember when air was free at most service stations. hmm
Wonder how many carbon credits will cost to breathe.
Madtown
Premium Member
join:2008-04-26
93637-2905

Madtown

Premium Member

I get Free WiFi with AT&T

Since I have an account with AT&T HSI, I get free access to their WiFi service when I'm at least 150 foot of their locations, such as Mccrapdonalds or Starsucks or wherever they have it at.
Madtown

Madtown

Premium Member

Verizon

Doesn't Verizon offer free WiFi to their subscribers???
tmc8080
join:2004-04-24
Brooklyn, NY

tmc8080

Member

Re: Verizon

said by Madtown:

Doesn't Verizon offer free WiFi to their subscribers???
They used to.. they canned most of that in Manhattan a while ago.. now their rival Cablevision is expanding a wifi deployment. Unfortunately it's a conflict of interest to give away for free what they hope to sell in wireless broadband LTE access at a premium rate.
Relic (banned)
join:2003-09-29

1 edit

Relic (banned)

Member

Uh?

I thought that's what neighbors are for?

At any rate, I'll find myself getting a damn Skype phone or something soon at the rate hotspots are popping up.
ja2007123
join:2007-10-06

ja2007123

Member

linksys

linksys the biggest wisp is growing, it will soon be the largest isp provider.
jarthur31
join:2006-04-14
Carlsbad, NM

jarthur31

Member

Re: linksys

Haha! This never gets old. *thumbs up*

yolarry
join:2007-12-29
Creston, WV

yolarry

Member

Lol

just wish they have powerful wi-fi over here.