Cingular cell phone service - AT&T gives free WiFi to DSL subs, but not to iPhone users

Author

AT&T gives free WiFi to DSL subs, but not to iPhone users

DTC

2007-07-05, 10:33 pm

From the www. fiercebroadbandwirel
ess.com website

[quote]
AT&T announced that subscribers to its highest-speed DSL services will have
free access to its WiFi hotspots throughout the country. Subscribers who
get the company's Pro, Elite and FastAccess can use any of the company's
10,000 hotspots located in airports, coffee shops, McDonald's restaurants
and Barnes & Noble bookstores for free. Those with lower tier services can
add unlimited WiFi access for $1.99 per month.

Connections at AT&T WiFi hot spots for non-subscribers run $7.99 per day.
But iPhone users are left out of the fray, despite the fact that the device
supports both EDGE and WiFi. It appears AT&T wants to de-emphasize the WiFi
aspect (even though Apple CEO Steve Jobs emphasized the WiFi solution when
asked about the drawback of supporting the slower EDGE network) given the
fact that the carrier has disabled the WiFi capability in a host of other
devices. The view of most carriers is that WiFi will cannibalize their
mobile businesses.

Kurt

2007-07-05, 10:33 pm

In article <sveji.4085$rR.305@newsread2.news.pas.earthlink.net>,
DTC < no_spam@move_along_f
olks.foob> wrote:

> From the www. fiercebroadbandwirel
ess.com website
>
> [quote]
> AT&T announced that subscribers to its highest-speed DSL services will have
> free access to its WiFi hotspots throughout the country. Subscribers who
> get the company's Pro, Elite and FastAccess can use any of the company's
> 10,000 hotspots located in airports, coffee shops, McDonald's restaurants
> and Barnes & Noble bookstores for free. Those with lower tier services can
> add unlimited WiFi access for $1.99 per month.
>
> Connections at AT&T WiFi hot spots for non-subscribers run $7.99 per day.
> But iPhone users are left out of the fray, despite the fact that the device
> supports both EDGE and WiFi. It appears AT&T wants to de-emphasize the WiFi
> aspect (even though Apple CEO Steve Jobs emphasized the WiFi solution when
> asked about the drawback of supporting the slower EDGE network) given the
> fact that the carrier has disabled the WiFi capability in a host of other
> devices. The view of most carriers is that WiFi will cannibalize their
> mobile businesses.

I think this will come back and bite ATT in the butt. ATT won't do
anything, but if Apple gets enough complaints, they'll get ATT to do the
right thing.
This is why it's so great to have Apple as a player - they have the
clout.

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karlkrandall@sbcglobal.net

2007-07-05, 10:33 pm

On Thu, 05 Jul 2007 17:43:00 -0700, Kurt <labolide@spacegmail.com>
wrote:

>In article <sveji.4085$rR.305@newsread2.news.pas.earthlink.net>,
> DTC < no_spam@move_along_f
olks.foob> wrote:
>
>
>I think this will come back and bite ATT in the butt. ATT won't do
>anything, but if Apple gets enough complaints, they'll get ATT to do the
>right thing.
>This is why it's so great to have Apple as a player - they have the
>clout.

I've seen nothing other than your post to say that dsl subscribers
with iPhone couldnt use AT&T wifi .

Kurt

2007-07-05, 10:33 pm

In article < od4r839seiqrkbepc64j
udkk1lguv2dk2v@4ax.com>,
karlkrandall@sbcglob
al.net wrote:

> On Thu, 05 Jul 2007 17:43:00 -0700, Kurt <labolide@spacegmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>
>
> I've seen nothing other than your post to say that dsl subscribers
> with iPhone couldnt use AT&T wifi .

???

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DTC

2007-07-05, 10:33 pm

karlkrandall@sbcglob
al.net wrote:
> I've seen nothing other than your post to say that dsl subscribers
> with iPhone couldnt use AT&T wifi .

What the article say is:

Premium DSL subscribers get free hotspot access.
Non-premium DSL subscribers can get $1.99/mo hotspot access.
iPhone users can't get theses rates, but see below...

On s side note, AT&T non-DSL dialup subscribers and get it for $19.95/mo.

AT&T offers unlimited hotspot access for %59 or $79 per month (I forget off
hand what the rate is) - I presume that would be what iPhone users would
need. And THAT is why iPhone users may feel left out if they don't have
any AT&T internet service...although I suppose they could still get dial-up
for $20 or so a month (and add the $19.95 hotspot option) even when not in
an AT&T service area (assuming they use a credit card to pay and not have
it billed to their non-AT&T land line number)

Todd Allcock

2007-07-06, 4:33 am

At 05 Jul 2007 22:44:40 +0000 DTC wrote:
> From the www. fiercebroadbandwirel
ess.com website
>
> [quote]
>
> Connections at AT&T WiFi hot spots for non-subscribers run $7.99 per
> day. But iPhone users are left out of the fray, despite the fact that
> the device supports both EDGE and WiFi. It appears AT&T wants to de-
> emphasize the WiFi aspect

I hate intentionally confusing "reporting" for the sake of
sensationalizing. The article is trying to imply that AT&R has somehow
crippled the Wi-Fi in iPhone to prevent it from connecting to hotspots it
should be able to connect to, but in reality, it means that AT&T DSL
(landline) customers get free wi-fi "roaming" on AT&T's Wi-Fi hotspot
network, but AT&T cellular customers do not.

And the point? AT&T doesn't "owe" it's wireless customers free wi-fi,
and I suspect that any AT&T DSL customer who also owns an iPhone will
have no trouble logging in.

> (even though Apple CEO Steve Jobs emphasized
> the WiFi solution when asked about the drawback of supporting the
> slower EDGE network) given the fact that the carrier has disabled the
> WiFi capability in a host of other devices.

What "host of other devices"- they've carried at least two others in the
past year (8125 and 8525.) The 2125 lacked Wi-Fi, but that was likely a
cost-saving issue, since the wi-fi-capable step-up model, the 8125, was
introduced simultaneously.

> The view of most carriers
> is that WiFi will cannibalize their mobile businesses.

Tell that to T-Mobile, who has operated a Hotspot network for years, and
even recently added a $10 VoIP add-on plan that allows unlimited calling
through your home/work wi-fi and all domestic T-Mo Hotspots.

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