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AT&T Adds 20,000 Wi-Fi Locations

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Apr 12, 2001
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AT&T announced that it would be acquiring Wayport Inc for $275 million. Wayport operates Wi-Fi networks in 20,000 locations in the U.S. at locations including Wyndham, Marriott Vacation Club and Four Seasons hotels and McDonald's restaurants.

In theory, this should extend the available Wi-Fi options for iPhone users. AT&T has started offering iPhone users free access to their existing Wi-Fi locations. These new Wi-Fi locations will certainly be added to their existing pool of hotspots.




Article Link: AT&T Adds 20,000 Wi-Fi Locations
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2008/11/06/atandt-adds-20000-wi-fi-locations/
That's great news for AT&T customers.

In the city where I live, the whole downtown, and many other areas, is covered by free wifi that is open to everyone (no registration required). The airport also has free wifi.

Cheers.
 
awesome news for iPhone owners

I live in a one-starbucks town, but we have 3 McDonalds. Here's an overview of their wi-fi spots in the US:



Now what I'd like is a literal tethering option, where I physically connect my iPhone to my laptop and can use its WiFi connection.
 
ilfn143 said:
do i need a different password at each location every 24hrs?
Click to expand...

Well I needed a different text link at the two different Starbucks I was at today. I tried the first one at the second one, but no luck. I also wish it didn't keep logging you off at one location whenever you might press the sleep button, and then make you have to go back to the SMS link every time you want to go on the internet. It would be great if it just kept you logged in for the entire duration you were at that location, no matter what you did with your phone. I guess it's hard to complain since it's free -- but it's almost so frustrating sometimes that you wonder if it's worth it. Having an original iPhone, it's a little more useful for me -- but my boyfriend, who has a 3G, never bothers to use it.
 
Rojo said:
Well I needed a different text link at the two different Starbucks I was at today. I tried the first one at the second one, but no luck. I also wish it didn't keep logging you off at one location whenever you might press the sleep button, and then make you have to go back to the SMS link every time you want to go on the internet. It would be great if it just kept you logged in for the entire duration you were at that location, no matter what you did with your phone. I guess it's hard to complain since it's free -- but it's almost so frustrating sometimes that you wonder if it's worth it. Having an original iPhone, it's a little more useful for me -- but my boyfriend, who has a 3G, never bothers to use it.
Click to expand...

I gave up on Starbucks Wifi because of it. It is quite silly. If you didn't have to type your phone number in each time, would be a beginning.
 
lowbatteries said:
Now what I'd like is a literal tethering option, where I physically connect my iPhone to my laptop and can use its WiFi connection.
Click to expand...

It's rumored to be coming as an official option with the 2.2 firmware and an upcoming announcement from AT&T.

thevofl said:
I gave up on Starbucks Wifi because of it. It is quite silly. If you didn't have to type your phone number in each time, would be a beginning.
Click to expand...

The T-Mobile S'bucks Wifi has this issue also... it's kind of annoying that it can't use cookies or something to keep your identity information. It's okay on a notebook but a big nuisance on an iPhone.
 
What limits people from using the iPhone to get the password and then using the password on their laptop computer? Doesn't this make tethering less of an issue for most people?
 
Not much option for wifi in North Dakota, but I'm on Rogers anyways, so I wouldn't get free Wifi anyways when visiting.
 
lowbatteries said:
Now what I'd like is a literal tethering option, where I physically connect my iPhone to my laptop and can use its WiFi connection.
Click to expand...

Literal tethering would involve a string or rope. I think you want the non-literal version.

What you're describing is using one device as an 802.11 network adapter for the other, and I fail to see the real need for that. Does your laptop lack a WiFi card? It might be simpler to get a USB WiFi adapter instead.
 
zelman said:
What you're describing is using one device as an 802.11 network adapter for the other, and I fail to see the real need for that. Does your laptop lack a WiFi card? It might be simpler to get a USB WiFi adapter instead.
Click to expand...

Benefit of the doubt statement that... here we're talking about tethering in the sense of...

3G/EDGE data services -> cell phone -> wifi -> notebook...

Not...

Wifi -> cell phone -> wifi -> notebook (which is probably impossible, anyway, since most wifi transceivers are not able to function in both modes at the same time like this, so the iPhone can't connect to one Wifi network and broadcast another one with just one Wifi radio)

or...

Wifi -> cell phone -> bluetooth or cable -> notebook (which is possible, but as you say, why bother?)

To clarify my statement and Doctor Q's link, it's the very first one (or possibly a variant of the first one using a cable) that's implicated to be coming out.

P.S. With T-Mobile, hotspot access is hotspot access. I was never asked or told to only use my Hotspot account with my phone, even though it comes as a phone perk. In fact it was made pretty clear to me that I'm able to use it on any device(s) I want. Does AT&T really tell you the hotspot access is only for your iPhone?
 
lowbatteries said:
...Now what I'd like is a literal tethering option, where I physically connect my iPhone to my laptop and can use its WiFi connection.
Click to expand...

This is what I want. To have my iPhone connected to a (any) wifi network and for the iPhone to be able to share that wifi connection with my MacBookAir.

Here is an example of when it would be very useful:
I'm at a Barnes and Noble bookstore yesterdy and my iPhone is able to get a free wifi connection, but it will be $3.99 for two hours for my laptop. Well, I need to use my laptop so i'd like to be able to use the iPhone's connection.

Is this at all possible?

mkrishnan said:
...With T-Mobile, hotspot access is hotspot access. I was never asked or told to only use my Hotspot account with my phone, even though it comes as a phone perk. In fact it was made pretty clear to me that I'm able to use it on any device(s) I want. Does AT&T really tell you the hotspot access is only for your iPhone?
Click to expand...

So do you think we can get on the AT&T free wifi with a Mac laptop?
I thought there was a way for Safari to "work" like an iPhone browser. I put it into that mode and could NOT get the free wifi.

Does anyone know a way?
 
I'm glad to see so many dots in Southern California. I have yet to try this out but will definitely be taking advantage of it next time I'm near a hotspot of theirs. :)
 
ilfn143 said:
do i need a different password at each location every 24hrs?
Click to expand...

Yes. With 3G, the WiFi hassel is not worth the hassel unless you plan to spend quite a bit of time at one location.

1. Go into Browser and wait for request to enter you Cell Phone Number.

2. Wait for SMS Message with Link to Activate. Select Link and you are good.

Do 1 and 2 every day. I would at least like to see this done once per week or once per month if it can't just detect my iPhone.

Right now when I go home or to the office it auto connects to WiFi. It would be nice to see it do this for all of the ATT Hot Spots.
 
jlanuez said:
So do you think we can get on the AT&T free wifi with a Mac laptop?
I thought there was a way for Safari to "work" like an iPhone browser. I put it into that mode and could NOT get the free wifi.

Does anyone know a way?
Click to expand...
The answer is no because then the iPhone would need 2 Wi-Fi radio's and it only has 1. The only thing you can do is share your iPhone's EDGE or 3G connection with you computer (tethering).
 
jlanuez said:
So do you think we can get on the AT&T free wifi with a Mac laptop?
I thought there was a way for Safari to "work" like an iPhone browser. I put it into that mode and could NOT get the free wifi.

Does anyone know a way?
Click to expand...

Interesting... I don't understand why AT&T has turned this whole hotspot access thing into such a gigantic cluster. They should just give all iPhone customers a hotspot account, end of story, that they can use with any device. If they're clever, they should also make it so that when you're actually using your phone (T-Mo, pay attention also) you don't have to password into the network. Giving blanket hotspot access isn't going to hurt customers, and after how ridiculous the launch of this feature, which was in the pipeline forever, and which had numerous announcement / retractions, has become.
 
what a great idea. i hope this helps partially fill the void of the.... bad 3G coverage and quality of ... BROADBAND.

i know, i have the iphone 3G
 
mkrishnan said:
Benefit of the doubt statement that... here we're talking about tethering in the sense of...

3G/EDGE data services -> cell phone -> wifi -> notebook...

Not...

Wifi -> cell phone -> wifi -> notebook (which is probably impossible, anyway, since most wifi transceivers are not able to function in both modes at the same time like this, so the iPhone can't connect to one Wifi network and broadcast another one with just one Wifi radio)

or...

Wifi -> cell phone -> bluetooth or cable -> notebook (which is possible, but as you say, why bother?)

To clarify my statement and Doctor Q's link, it's the very first one (or possibly a variant of the first one using a cable) that's implicated to be coming out.

P.S. With T-Mobile, hotspot access is hotspot access. I was never asked or told to only use my Hotspot account with my phone, even though it comes as a phone perk. In fact it was made pretty clear to me that I'm able to use it on any device(s) I want. Does AT&T really tell you the hotspot access is only for your iPhone?
Click to expand...

What I mean was being able to share the iPhone's internet - EDGE/3G/WiFi - to my device over USB.

WiFi -> iPhone -> USB -> Laptop
- or -
WiFi -> iPhone -> Bluetooth -> Laptop

Why is this useful? Do you see the headline? You can connect at thousands of spots with your iPhone, but not your laptop. If they are only going to allow access through my iPhone, I'd like a solution to share that with my laptop (thats not all hackery). Not very likely though.

USB is very fast and Bluetooth+EDR has a top speed of 3 Mbit/s so it would be fine for internet sharing like this.
 
ilfn143 said:
do i need a different password at each location every 24hrs?
Click to expand...

probably...
but the d@mn password thing is too much trouble...
why not just suck all the data down through 3G????

mkrishnan said:
Interesting... I don't understand why AT&T has turned this whole hotspot access thing into such a gigantic cluster. They should just give all iPhone customers a hotspot account, end of story, that they can use with any device. If they're clever, they should also make it so that when you're actually using your phone (T-Mo, pay attention also) you don't have to password into the network.
Click to expand...

Agree... this may help AT&T's pathetic 3G network

Hawkeye411 said:
That's great news for AT&T customers.

In the city where I live, the whole downtown, and many other areas, is covered by free wifi that is open to everyone (no registration required). The airport also has free wifi.

Cheers.
Click to expand...

yeah, that's Canada... a!
 
I used it in McDonalds before it was announced. Great feature when you have kids who want Happy Meals every week! :D
 
Mr. Giver '94 said:
I'm glad to see so many dots in Southern California. I have yet to try this out but will definitely be taking advantage of it next time I'm near a hotspot of theirs. :)
Click to expand...

I was traveling by car from NC to CA and stopped in MI for a tourist stop and needed to conduct business with UK, so I stopped into a McDonalds, whipped out the MacBoook and logged on. That particular MCD had free wifi. They got some business from me and my group that day as a direct result.

On that trip the iPhone Gen 1, week 5, worked pretty much everywhere except AZ.

Rocketman
 
AT&T representative responds for iphone hotspots

Attention all macrumors apple fans! I sent a complaint to the CEO of AT&T (again), this time regarding the iphone hotspots and that the competitors would begin making commercials giving hotspots a new meaning... basically the new definition of hotspot would be a place where a bunch of pissed off iPhone apple lovers would be congregated attempting to get wi-fi connection. In case any of you had troubles, mine in particular were at several Starbucks out here in the Phoenix, AZ area.

Apparently, this Tom Clark guy has heard nothing of the sort. Of course, I finally got a response when I copied the Apple PR directors on the email. To make a long story short, I'm going to call Tom back today and let him know what's going on since he supposedly doesn't know what's going on and I'd encourage any of you having issues to give him a call and let him know also. Or, we can all telecon this afternoon around 2:30 MST. shoot a reply back to me to robert dot mccorkle at gmail and I'll include you on the phone call.

Here's his number: (206) 265-2967
 
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