AT&T Makes Hot Spot Usage Much More Convenient with iPhone 3.0

[MacRumors]

9to5Mac points out that AT&T also announced a welcome piece of news for existing and future iPhone owners. AT&T now supports Wi-Fi "auto-authentication" in the 3.0 firmware. While iPhone customers have had free access to over 20,000 AT&T Wi-Fi hotspots, accessing them required a somewhat cumbersome two-step authentication process using SMS. The new system will eliminate these steps altogether:

Auto-authentication allows iPhone users to seamlessly switch from AT&T’s 3G network to an AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Spot without being prompted. AT&T customers with qualifying iPhone data plans have unlimited access to the nation’s largest Wi-Fi network — more than 20,000 U.S. AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Spots.

The new process eliminates the previous two-step authentication, making it easier and faster for iPhone customers to connect to AT&T Wi-Fi. Auto-connect is established once a customer connects their iPhone to an AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Spot the first time.

The new system is available starting today for all existing iPhone customers who have installed iPhone 3.0 and will also be available to iPhone 3G S owners.

Article Link: AT&T Makes Hot Spot Usage Much More Convenient with iPhone 3.0

 

[HiRez]

Very cool, and about time! That was really a lame interim method they came up with.

 

[NinjaHERO]

So this means it happens whenever you are in range or there is some setting that needs to be turned on?

 

[MrMac208]

seriously its about time.

 

[iphones4evry1]

Now this is totally awesome if it works as they say it does.

 

[Mr. Giver '94]

So it's automatic?

 

[Airforcekid]

Does this work for other wifi devices too?

 

[iphones4evry1]

So it's automatic?

I know one way to find out.
Go to a coffee shop with an AT&T WiFi hotspot and look at your phone and see if it's using WiFi.

 

[timshundo]

Ah, interesting. So if iPhone users can connect to paid hotspots automatically for free, would it be possible to get that Wi-Fi internet connection from the phone to your computer through tethering rather than paying for a daily wifi pass? Perhaps this is what AT&T was worried about and have delayed the feature to work something out?

 

[iMacoo7]

Here is the "qualifying customer" chant again... that really needs to be clarified. My monthly bill is always 150.00 -180.00 that is the total for my iphone and the other 2 lines on the plan and this includes my FAN discount.
So I wonder if they are saying each line has to range 99 bucks a piece thus leaving the consumer with a 300.00 monthly cell phone bill which is wicked.
Any comments on this matter

 

[Jayomat]

Ah, interesting. So if iPhone users can connect to paid hotspots automatically for free, would it be possible to get that internet connection from the phone to your computer to tethering? Perhaps this is what AT&T was worried about and have delayed the feature to work something out?

what has the one thing to do with the other?

 

[HiRez]

So it's automatic?

According to the article, the first time you connect (manually), the auto-connection is established for that network.

I wonder if this works for any network with HTTP authentication (where you are sent to a web page to log in). Right now my iPhone will say it's connected to a WiFi network in these cases, but if you aren't using Safari, like say you're in maps, stocks, weather, or some other application, it'll just spin its wheels forever, never indicating any error, never prompting you to open Safari to log in, never falling back on EDGE even (I have the 2G model).

 

[arn]

Here is the "qualifying customer" chant again... that really needs to be clarified. My monthly bill is always 150.00 -180.00 that is the total for my iphone and the other 2 lines on the plan and this includes my FAN discount.
So I wonder if they are saying each line has to range 99 bucks a piece thus leaving the consumer with a 300.00 monthly cell phone bill which is wicked.
Any comments on this matter

you are in the wrong thread. this has nothing to do with your monthly rate plan.

arn

 

[HiRez]

Ah, interesting. So if iPhone users can connect to paid hotspots automatically for free, would it be possible to get that Wi-Fi internet connection from the phone to your computer through tethering rather than paying for a daily wifi pass? Perhaps this is what AT&T was worried about and have delayed the feature to work something out?

I'm pretty sure you can connect directly to those WiFi hotspots from your laptop without using a phone, as long as you have an iPhone account. I can't remember if there was some trickery needed to log in that way though, but I definitely remember reading it's possible.

 

[Farani]

Must one have wifi enabled for this? I don't like leaving wifi on because there isn't much wifi available in my area so why drain my battery.

 

[NewSc2]

Must one have wifi enabled for this? I don't like leaving wifi on because there isn't much wifi available in my area so why drain my battery.

I don't see how you couldn't leave wifi on. I always leave wifi on and haven't found it to be a huge drain.

 

[Fluffy Bunny]

Here is the "qualifying customer" chant again... that really needs to be clarified. My monthly bill is always 150.00 -180.00 that is the total for my iphone and the other 2 lines on the plan and this includes my FAN discount.
So I wonder if they are saying each line has to range 99 bucks a piece thus leaving the consumer with a 300.00 monthly cell phone bill which is wicked.
Any comments on this matter

You need a qualifying iPhone data plan and since there is only one data plan you get the free wifi. If somehow you don't have a data plan with your iPhone, then you don't get the free wifi. Seems clear.

 

[NinjaHERO]

I will be interested to hear how this works. I have had some wonky stuff happen with my wifi. I know when I use my iphone on a 'free' connection where I have to click I accept the terms of service. The next time I return my phone 'remembers' the wifi site and tries to use it. But without the accepting of terms of service I basically don't have any internet access because the phone won't use its 3g connection when wifi is 'available'.

I just hope the AT&T auto log in doesn't end up with some similar glitch.

But I am excited to try it out. Although I have no idea where an AT&T hotspot is.

 

[twoodcc]

now this sounds great. i have an iphone, but have never used at&t wifi hot spots before

 

[jonessodarally]

According to the article, the first time you connect (manually), the auto-connection is established for that network.

I wonder if this works for any network with HTTP authentication (where you are sent to a web page to log in). Right now my iPhone will say it's connected to a WiFi network in these cases, but if you aren't using Safari, like say you're in maps, stocks, weather, or some other application, it'll just spin its wheels forever, never indicating any error, never prompting you to open Safari to log in, never falling back on EDGE even (I have the 2G model).

I know exactly what you're talking about. Incredibly frustrating. Heading to Starbucks now though, so I'll report back on how well it all seems to work for me.

 

[Willis]

here in the UK, any hotspot provided by The Cloud or BTOpenzone had a 1 time setup then every hotspot you feel into, it connected.

Never knew AT&T had a 2 step process everytime...

 

[syklee26]

I guess I will be drinking a lot more starbucks coffee.

 

[ghileman]

I'm pretty sure you can connect directly to those WiFi hotspots from your laptop without using a phone, as long as you have an iPhone account. I can't remember if there was some trickery needed to log in that way though, but I definitely remember reading it's possible.

Can anyone confirm this?

 

[Flowbee]

I will be interested to hear how this works.

Works like a charm. Just returned from my local Starbucks and, until I saw this article, didn't even realize that I hadn't been prompted for my phone number when I was there surfing. Seamless.

 

[Farani]

I don't see how you couldn't leave wifi on. I always leave wifi on and haven't found it to be a huge drain.

I guess I just got used to leaving it off 2 years ago with my first iphone. It never switched between the cellular network and wfi seamlessly so I ended up just using edge all the time. It seemed to drain my battery faster too. I guess I'll turn wifi on and see what happens. Thanks a lot!