AT&T Disables Free iPhone Wi-Fi (For Now)

[MacRumors]

On Wednesday, we reported that AT&T had begun offering free Wi-Fi access to iPhone users at many of their national Wi-Fi hotspots, including Starbucks and Barnes & Noble locations.

No official announcement had been made, however, and AT&T representatives reportedly declined to comment. Today, many users are reporting that the free iPhone access has been removed and users are unable to log-in with just their phone number. This appears to be true at locations that were verified to offer the free Wi-Fi access just days before.

Based on the screenshot and wording of the login page ("Free AT&T Wi-Fi for iPhone"), there can be no doubt that the service was intentional, but it appears it may have been launched prematurely. Regardless, we still expect the service to be officially announced in the future.

Article Link

[ramuman]

I expect the service to return in the future - maybe around when the 3G iPhone is released. Also, WiFi was free for DSL and EDGE subscribers in general I think, not just iPhone users.

[kavika411]

No one does better product roll-outs than AT&T.

[thevofl]

Originally Posted by kavika411

No one does better product roll-outs than AT&T.

As someone who used to work for AT&T, I can personally attest to the truth behind the sarcasm.

[Doctor Q]

If that was a teaser promotion, it wasn't handled in the best way possible. If it's just a goof, they'll correct it.

[CommanderData]

The free wifi for iPhone users was shut off due to the fact it was easily cheated. Anyone can set their user-agent string to Safari and connect to the wifi if they know a valid iPhone telephone number.

This means you could connect with your laptop if you used your buddy's number for free!

Read more here: http://blogs.zdnet.com/security/?p=1067

[deftdrummer]

Originally Posted by CommanderData

The free wifi for iPhone users was shut off due to the fact it was easily cheated. Anyone can set their user-agent string to Safari and connect to the wifi if they know a valid iPhone telephone number.

This means you could connect with your laptop if you used your buddy's number for free!

Read more here: http://blogs.zdnet.com/security/?p=1067

yeah steps to spoof in order to gain free wifi access were posted on the net within hours of the free wifi announcement. Seems everyone is out to skirt the perks of being an iphone user these days. Be it with their "iphone killers," (claimed only due to the integration of a "touch" screen), or free wifi access in Starbucks, spiting the iphone industry seems to be the latest craze.

[Stampyhead]

Originally Posted by CommanderData

The free wifi for iPhone users was shut off due to the fact it was easily cheated. Anyone can set their user-agent string to Safari and connect to the wifi if they know a valid iPhone telephone number.

This means you could connect with your laptop if you used your buddy's number for free!

Read more here: http://blogs.zdnet.com/security/?p=1067

Good job, cheaters, ruining it for the rest of us. There are always people trying to get something for nothing and now everyone suffers for their dishonesty. Thanks a lot.

[mkrishnan]

So I'm still trying to understand this situation...sorry. AT&T includes free hotspot access as part of the iPhone plans, correct? But that coverage doesn't always extend to every AT&T hotspot, and in particular, the ones inside Starbucks and Barnes & Nobles don't work?

So in essence, with AT&T having outbid T-Mobile and taken over the Starbucks hotspot contract, as well as having bagged the iPhone, I get access to Starbucks hotspots on my unlocked iPhone on T-Mobile (because T-Mobile also includes hotspot access in data plans and Starbucks arranged for free T-Mobile roaming on their hotspots)? And you (who use the iPhone officially on AT&T) don't?

Niiiiice.

[arn]

Originally Posted by mkrishnan

So I'm still trying to understand this situation...sorry. AT&T includes free hotspot access as part of the iPhone plans, correct?

No, AT&T has never promised free Wi-Fi hotspot access with iPhone service. That's why the news of it on Wednesday was such a big deal.

arn

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by arn

No, AT&T has never promised free Wi-Fi hotspot access with iPhone service. That's why the news of it on Wednesday was such a big deal.

But it does make sense to include it for the largest bandwidth eater in their lineup. AT&T's data over WiFi is significantly cheaper to operate and upgrade than their W-CDMA or even EDGE network. So the more iPhones AT&T can push onto the el cheapo WiFi connections at hotspots the better for them, and since the speed will most likely be faster than the carrier network in speed and latency it's better for the consumer.

[gkarris]

Originally Posted by arn

No, AT&T has never promised free Wi-Fi hotspot access with iPhone service. That's why the news of it on Wednesday was such a big deal.

arn

Oh, I was wondering what the big deal was.

Wierd. DSL subscribers (as long as it not the basic DSL package) get access to AT&T WiFi Hotspots.

Maybe AT&T is going to give it to EDGE subscribers eventually as well...

(T-Mobile EDGE subscribers get hotspot access...)

[mkrishnan]

Originally Posted by arn

No, AT&T has never promised free Wi-Fi hotspot access with iPhone service. That's why the news of it on Wednesday was such a big deal.

Oh, really? I'm sorry. I thought that hotspots were a part of all AT&T cell data packages, including the iPhone.

[sanford]

Originally Posted by arn

No, AT&T has never promised free Wi-Fi hotspot access with iPhone service. That's why the news of it on Wednesday was such a big deal.

arn

Yeah, arn they did. Not iPhone specifically but all ATT wireless customers "in the near future" at the time they offered the free service to ATT home broadband customers. And legitimate Stateside iPhone users are by requirement ATT wireless customer.

I know someone highly place at ATT. They didn't care about the spoofing, not for now at any rate. This has to do with a potentially messy divorce in some regions between T-Mo and Starbucks, and Starbucks blinked, and as ATT does have the ongoing, future contract with Starbucks, ATT agreed to demure and cut any free service for *wireless customers* in *some regions* until T-Mo quits whining or Starbucks brings the legal department hammer down on them.

I'm assured T-Mo's complaints are baseless; they're contract was very loose, as they made the lion's share of the money, not Starbucks. Starbucks could pretty much change providers at any time with no obligation to T-Mo. What happened, also, was Starbucks customers are idiots and thought by signing up with T-Mo they had a relationship with Starbucks for WiFi, not T-Mo -- this is of course insanely stupid, but this what they thought. So when ATT's access point kept trying to capture their logins, they started calling and freaking out about how they had so many hours or so many days of service left with "Starbucks WiFi I bought and paid for". So it's two moronic groups gang-piling on Starbucks at the moment.

Anyway, ATT decided not to make life difficult for Starbucks in cutting lose what was the top-quality GSM and WiFi access-point provider in the States, and is fast becoming a garbage service. (I was a T-Mo customer, and I was there for the slide, the service add-on gouge [$50 EDGE data plans w/ monthly transfer caps!], the ridiculous calling-circle answer to rollover minutes, etc. So they cut free iPhone service at Starbucks to shut T-Mo the hell up and help out Starbucks. They only cut Barnes & Noble iPhone freebie, too, because so many of them have a Starbucks attached, and you could just hit B&N's WiFi from within the Starbucks.

Again, this is regional. I live in ATT Wireless home country, and my free iPhone service stills works at Starbucks and B&N.

[gwerhart0800]

Originally Posted by thevofl

As someone who used to work for AT&T, I can personally attest to the truth behind the sarcasm.

I am also an AT&T Bell Labs ex ... here are some of my favorites:

AT&T, yesterday's technology tomorrow ... AT&T
AT&T on the tail of the leading edge
AT&T, we ignore new technology, so you don't have to!

[thejadedmonkey]

Probably because anyone who knew someone with an iPhone and who knew how to spoof a user-agent could get free WiFi

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by ramuman

I expect the service to return in the future - maybe around when the 3G iPhone is released. Also, WiFi was free for DSL and EDGE subscribers in general I think, not just iPhone users.

yes, but this was a special portal for WiFI users. The HotSpot would monitor the USer Agent and take you to a special iPhone Safari page to access the internet.

Originally Posted by thejadedmonkey

Probably because anyone who knew someone with an iPhone and who knew how to spoof a user-agent could get free WiFi

I concur.There is only a couple ways AT&T can prevent the spoofing from occurring.

The first, if they want it now, is to have you put in your AT&T iPhone phone number, then AT&T sends you a random SMS code that you then put into the webpage to gain access. This would still allow access to those with access to an iPhone that are spoofing their User Agent.

The second is to not allow iPhones on the AT&T WiFi network until v2.0 comes out. This way, AT&T can have a free or 99¢ app—which will more than pay for the development—that authenticates you on the AT&T hotspots.

[winterspan]

Originally Posted by solipsism

The first, if they want it now, is to have you put in your AT&T iPhone phone number, then AT&T sends you a random SMS code that you then put into the webpage to gain access. This would still allow access to those with access to an iPhone that are spoofing their User Agent.

The second is to not allow iPhones on the AT&T WiFi network until v2.0 comes out. This way, AT&T can have a free or 99¢ app—which will more than pay for the development—that authenticates you on the AT&T hotspots.

Two excellent ideas, particularly the SMS one. On a related note, does anyone really know if they care that you use your laptop versus an iPhone. I would bet that they don't, and they just want to make sure that only AT&T customers (whether DSL or Cellphone) use the wiFi --- no matter the actual device used. This is also why your "enter-your-phone-number-and-receive-SMS-login-code" is a great idea. In fact, although it probably wouldn't be that difficult to come up with, you should email your idea to AT&T wireless!

Originally Posted by solipsism

But it does make sense to include it for the largest bandwidth eater in their lineup. AT&T's data over WiFi is significantly cheaper to operate and upgrade than their W-CDMA or even EDGE network. So the more iPhones AT&T can push onto the el cheapo WiFi connections at hotspots the better for them, and since the speed will most likely be faster than the carrier network in speed and latency it's better for the consumer.

Indeed, It would most likely SAVE AT&T money to push iPhone users onto WiFi at starbucks (and all locations with AT&T wifi hotspots for that matter). You are most certainly correct.. I can only imagine the cost savings of moving tens of thousands of users onto simple broadband connections and reducing the need for capacity, bandwidth, and maintenance of many cell towers in those areas -- all the while your customers think THEY are receiving a special benefit. It's so simple. Not sure why I didn't think of it this way before.

[naroola]

I guess AT&T will wait until Jobs announces this himself at WWDC (hopefully).

[ALT-255]

Originally Posted by MacRumors

On Wednesday, we reported that AT&T had begun offering free Wi-Fi access to iPhone users at many of their national Wi-Fi hotspots, including Starbucks and Barnes & Noble locations.

No official announcement had been made, however, and AT&T representatives reportedly declined to comment. Today, many users are reporting that the free iPhone access has been removed and users are unable to log-in with just their phone number. This appears to be true at locations that were verified to offer the free Wi-Fi access just days before.

Based on the screenshot and wording of the login page ("Free AT&T Wi-Fi for iPhone"), there can be no doubt that the service was intentional, but it appears it may have been launched prematurely. Regardless, we still expect the service to be officially announced in the future.

Article Link

I got an email from ATT about two days ago talking about Free Wi-Fi at these locations, but this could also be because I have there DSL service as well.

[chickenninja]

Originally Posted by ALT-255

I got an email from ATT about two days ago talking about Free Wi-Fi at these locations, but this could also be because I have there DSL service as well.

thats either a sign its been postponed, or that theres even more entanglement their goona have to back out of. good post.

[twoodcc]

well, hopefully they'll introduce this again, and maybe it will stay an iPhone feature

[jlanuez]

You pay peanuts, you'll get monkeys

[chickenninja]

Do we know if this was AT&Ts decision or a Starbucks one? Im guessing theyve postponed it because of the non AT&T phones that could still access it, wendsnesday was probably a test. I seriously doubt theyll pull the plug altogether. Starbucks hasnt updated their page since last week so it may still be a go. http://www.starbucks.com/retail/wireless.asp

[sanford]

Originally Posted by chickenninja

Do we know if this was AT&Ts decision or a Starbucks one? Im guessing theyve postponed it because of the non AT&T phones that could still access it, wendsnesday was probably a test. I seriously doubt theyll pull the plug altogether. Starbucks hasnt updated their page since last week so it may still be a go. http://www.starbucks.com/retail/wireless.asp

One, it quit working now for me here, too.

Two, everyone is blaming everyone else. Sort of. Starbucks says they don't know. T-Mo says ATT blah blah, although they couldn't explain why their access points are still hot at a client who is no longer a client.

I tend to lean toward ATT on this one, because it makes the most sense, and because I know someone at ATT who should know something about. T-Mo is throwing a hissy fit and when people call into complain they can't use their T-Mo WiFi service at Starbucks anymore, T-Mo is blaming Starbucks rather than just saying SB changed WiFi services. So Starbucks is placating T-Mo customers and giving it like 30 days due notice, so if you have a T-Mo plan or time, you can cancel the plan and switch to ATT (or go free if you're an ATT broadband or wireless customer) or burn up all your T-Mo time. SB went to ATT with hat in hand and asked if they'd shut it down for a little while. On merit of already having the future service agreement locked up, ATT consented, considering you can still login into ATT WiFi at SB view other means, such as already being an ATT broadband customer or paying for their WiFi service.

So why the iPhone focus. So my friend says, ATT was rock-bottom choice for iPhone and T-Mo was first choice, and they are terribly bitter that when Jobs came calling to work out an iPhone exclusive carrier agreement with them they told him T-Mo customer were happy with what they offered and wouldn't want his iPhone. My wife an I bought our iPhones 2 months after release, right before the price drop -- although I got credit for the drop -- and when I called to cancel our contract-fulfilled T-Mo service, I had to call twice -- I bought an iPhone and then my wife had to have one a day later -- and both agents said every other cancellation call was because of iPhone.

Oops. So T-Mo is, as business is wont to do, blaming everyone else for their own either a) lack of foresight, or b) timidity in taking a calculated risk.