Comments on: BT buys into the FON WiFi network http://eu.techcrunch.com/2007/10/04/bt-buys-into-the-fon-wifi-network/ Tracking European web and mobile start-ups Sun, 08 Nov 2009 03:55:00 +0100 hourly 1 By: TechCrunch UK » Blog Archive » Supersize Wi-Fi with your McDonald’s burger? http://eu.techcrunch.com/2007/10/04/bt-buys-into-the-fon-wifi-network/comment-page-1/#comment-43113 TechCrunch UK » Blog Archive » Supersize Wi-Fi with your McDonald’s burger? Mon, 08 Oct 2007 14:52:33 +0000 http://uk.techcrunch.com/2007/10/04/bt-buys-into-the-fon-wifi-network/#comment-43113 [...] But that will cost them between £35-£55 a month for voice and data use. And last week BT took a stake in Spanish WiFi startup FON to allow its three million Total Broadband customers to roam across [...] [...] But that will cost them between £35-£55 a month for voice and data use. And last week BT took a stake in Spanish WiFi startup FON to allow its three million Total Broadband customers to roam across [...]

]]> By: James Vinall http://eu.techcrunch.com/2007/10/04/bt-buys-into-the-fon-wifi-network/comment-page-1/#comment-43048 James Vinall Mon, 08 Oct 2007 10:08:48 +0000 http://uk.techcrunch.com/2007/10/04/bt-buys-into-the-fon-wifi-network/#comment-43048 FON and BT still require their customers to buy a WiFi transceiver to create their own WiFi “hotspot” and in return get free access in other areas where people have installed FON transceivers. Neighbours within range of the FON customer WiFi transceiver can piggy back access by registering with BT and paying for ISP services. The FON “hotspot” model does not allow seamless roving WiFi access across populated areas and does not provide free WiFi access for digital cities. This is just getting individuals to buy wireless for their home, where they need to pay for the radio set and allowing others within range to use it to enrich BT and FOn. What is needed is a new business model to get someone other than users to pay for WiFi/WiMax transceiver deployment and provide free access in populated areas and along transportation routes. FON and BT still require their customers to buy a WiFi transceiver to create their own WiFi “hotspot” and in return get free access in other areas where people have installed FON transceivers. Neighbours within range of the FON customer WiFi transceiver can piggy back access by registering with BT and paying for ISP services.

The FON “hotspot” model does not allow seamless roving WiFi access across populated areas and does not provide free WiFi access for digital cities.

This is just getting individuals to buy wireless for their home, where they need to pay for the radio set and allowing others within range to use it to enrich BT and FOn.

What is needed is a new business model to get someone other than users to pay for WiFi/WiMax transceiver deployment and provide free access in populated areas and along transportation routes.

]]> By: Gonzalo Zavala http://eu.techcrunch.com/2007/10/04/bt-buys-into-the-fon-wifi-network/comment-page-1/#comment-41917 Gonzalo Zavala Fri, 05 Oct 2007 13:13:48 +0000 http://uk.techcrunch.com/2007/10/04/bt-buys-into-the-fon-wifi-network/#comment-41917 It could be the right time to launch this given that all future iphone owners (potentially a lot) will be hungry for wifi networks, given iphone current lack of 3G. It's difficult to imagine someone walking around neighborhoods with an open laptop looking for signal, but not that difficult to see iphone users casually browsing the internet/checking for emails in the street. It could be the right time to launch this given that all future iphone owners (potentially a lot) will be hungry for wifi networks, given iphone current lack of 3G.
It’s difficult to imagine someone walking around neighborhoods with an open laptop looking for signal, but not that difficult to see iphone users casually browsing the internet/checking for emails in the street.

]]> By: Mike http://eu.techcrunch.com/2007/10/04/bt-buys-into-the-fon-wifi-network/comment-page-1/#comment-41888 Mike Fri, 05 Oct 2007 10:33:29 +0000 http://uk.techcrunch.com/2007/10/04/bt-buys-into-the-fon-wifi-network/#comment-41888 In this day of security risks, who on earth is going to share their WiFi, or have to travel to a specific address and lurk outside (= you must have a car in the UK weather/street security environment) whern mobile data can be had *anywhere* for a few quid per GB? That's a really big security and physical risk to take for a pretty minimal gain. The FON routers have 2 separate Wifi radios, but my Homehub does not. Therefore you are relying on sharing a sub-domain or suchlike, which must be a hackable solution. This will not fly. In this day of security risks, who on earth is going to share their WiFi, or have to travel to a specific address and lurk outside (= you must have a car in the UK weather/street security environment) whern mobile data can be had *anywhere* for a few quid per GB? That’s a really big security and physical risk to take for a pretty minimal gain.

The FON routers have 2 separate Wifi radios, but my Homehub does not. Therefore you are relying on sharing a sub-domain or suchlike, which must be a hackable solution.

This will not fly.

]]> By: James Heaver http://eu.techcrunch.com/2007/10/04/bt-buys-into-the-fon-wifi-network/comment-page-1/#comment-41688 James Heaver Thu, 04 Oct 2007 17:47:15 +0000 http://uk.techcrunch.com/2007/10/04/bt-buys-into-the-fon-wifi-network/#comment-41688 Luke, Roaming use will be limited to 512kb/s and won't coutn towards usage caps. Luke,
Roaming use will be limited to 512kb/s and won’t coutn towards usage caps.

]]> By: TechCrunch en français » [fr] L'accord FON-BT est une bonne nouvelle: enfin presque http://eu.techcrunch.com/2007/10/04/bt-buys-into-the-fon-wifi-network/comment-page-1/#comment-41683 TechCrunch en français » [fr] L'accord FON-BT est une bonne nouvelle: enfin presque Thu, 04 Oct 2007 17:09:10 +0000 http://uk.techcrunch.com/2007/10/04/bt-buys-into-the-fon-wifi-network/#comment-41683 [...] cet accord. Du côté FON l’accès au parc des clients de BT n’est pas immédiat (comme l’explique justement Mike Butcher de Techcrunch UK). L’accès est disponible en option et il faudra mettre en [...] [...] cet accord. Du côté FON l’accès au parc des clients de BT n’est pas immédiat (comme l’explique justement Mike Butcher de Techcrunch UK). L’accès est disponible en option et il faudra mettre en [...]

]]> By: Mike Butcher http://eu.techcrunch.com/2007/10/04/bt-buys-into-the-fon-wifi-network/comment-page-1/#comment-41667 Mike Butcher Thu, 04 Oct 2007 15:06:07 +0000 http://uk.techcrunch.com/2007/10/04/bt-buys-into-the-fon-wifi-network/#comment-41667 Sam- whoops, thanks. Sam- whoops, thanks.

]]> By: Luke Dicken http://eu.techcrunch.com/2007/10/04/bt-buys-into-the-fon-wifi-network/comment-page-1/#comment-41660 Luke Dicken Thu, 04 Oct 2007 13:56:01 +0000 http://uk.techcrunch.com/2007/10/04/bt-buys-into-the-fon-wifi-network/#comment-41660 This is a great opportunity depending on how BT try to implement it at the consumer level. FON is an interesting system, and it would be nice to have the opportunity to get away from the costs associated with alternative wireless roaming solutions. One issue I can see though is that given that BT has some fairly restrictive capping in place on usage, how many customers who are in the know are going to be willing to open up their connection and let others have the potential to abuse it? This is a great opportunity depending on how BT try to implement it at the consumer level. FON is an interesting system, and it would be nice to have the opportunity to get away from the costs associated with alternative wireless roaming solutions.

One issue I can see though is that given that BT has some fairly restrictive capping in place on usage, how many customers who are in the know are going to be willing to open up their connection and let others have the potential to abuse it?

]]> By: Sam Judson http://eu.techcrunch.com/2007/10/04/bt-buys-into-the-fon-wifi-network/comment-page-1/#comment-41657 Sam Judson Thu, 04 Oct 2007 13:53:03 +0000 http://uk.techcrunch.com/2007/10/04/bt-buys-into-the-fon-wifi-network/#comment-41657 BT Fusion is their mobile/in-home phone package. BT Vision is I believe the IPTV package you are referring to. BT Fusion is their mobile/in-home phone package. BT Vision is I believe the IPTV package you are referring to.

]]> By: James Heaver http://eu.techcrunch.com/2007/10/04/bt-buys-into-the-fon-wifi-network/comment-page-1/#comment-41655 James Heaver Thu, 04 Oct 2007 13:42:37 +0000 http://uk.techcrunch.com/2007/10/04/bt-buys-into-the-fon-wifi-network/#comment-41655 So in the late 00s BT could launch a service which failed miserably 15 years earlier (Rabbit and other CT2 services). Also, at the same time as the internet is being harnessed for proper use on mobile phones (iphone and affordable 3G packages etc) voice could start moving away from the mobile phone networks. Its an interesting world. So in the late 00s BT could launch a service which failed miserably 15 years earlier (Rabbit and other CT2 services).

Also, at the same time as the internet is being harnessed for proper use on mobile phones (iphone and affordable 3G packages etc) voice could start moving away from the mobile phone networks.

Its an interesting world.

]]>