Transformation of the UK’s market for
wireless broadband is the bold aim of a new initiative by BT
and FON.The two firms say
that their BT FON service will be
the world’s largestWi-Fi community with over 3
million consumer customers invited to join a global community of
people sharing their broadband.
Every person who
agrees to share a small portion of their home broadband connection,
by opening up a separate, secure channel on their wireless router,
will be able to share the connection of any other member. BT Total
Broadband customers will also be able to use BT’s premium existing
hotspot network BT Openzone, including 12 Wireless Cities.
The existing BT
community of 500,000 Wi-Fi users and new members will have access
to more than 190,000 FON hotspots across the world and all the new
BT FON hotspots free of charge.
The community
Wi-Fi network will potentially cover hundreds of thousands of
hotspots under the slogan “Wi-Fi for everyone, I’m in”. The secure
open Wi-Fi solution was developed by FON and BT’s research labs. BT
has invested in FON as part of the tie-in, joining the company’s
other investors, which include Google. BT will also have a seat on
the board of FON.
Recommended CW Stories
· Avaya and Nokia team on enterprise
capabilities
· Birmingham council launches Wi-Fi information
service
· GNER prepares for rail IT handover
· Intel, Nokia and Nokia Siemens collaborate on
Wimax products
· Cisco expands branch office offering to
improve network optimisation