iPod touch Program closed: Beta testers for The Cloud WiFi in the UK

[TheCloud]

BTW I'm still getting a lot of emails to offer to sign up for the beta - I'm afraid the beta is over so there are no more beta program places available

thanks!

Owen

Hi all

I need some beta testers to try using their iPod Touch on The Cloud's UK WiFi network over the next few days. In return I will give 6 months free access.

What I need is 15 people willing to try 5 hotspots each over the next 3 days to access iTunes or browse the web for a few minutes at each.

All I need to know from anybody wanting to participate is the MAC address of their iPod Touch and we will enable it at this end within about 30 minutes. When you turn up at a hotspot you should be able to just attach to our network (no logging in required - the network will recognise your device). After you have tried 5 hotspots just send me a note saying where you tired it and whether it worked ok (and whether you liked the experience) and I will then make sure your access lasts for 6 months for free.

We have a shortage of iPods in the office, and really want to make sure it works ok in lots of our locations. Hope I'm not offending anybody with this being a commercial post - I am really after some help from the community.

If you have an iPod Touch now and can help - drop me a mail at owen.geddes AT thecloud.net

thanks!

Owen

 

[Tclare]

I am so annoyed that I didn't get a iPod Touch in time and that I will have to wait until the 28th. I would love to have been a beta tester and am still willing. But I am sure there are plenty of other iPod Touch owners who want the chance.

 

[pauld]

I would love to take part here in London, which is the mac address though? Would mine be 00:1D:4F:0A:04:10?
if so, count me in please!

 

[DeXtA]

I will be getting my touch soon, I will be happy to help. I live in Ipswich if that helps?

 

[Tclare]

When will the Cloud service be launched properly?

 

[JD92]

Hey Owen, I'm currently searching all over Glasgow to try and find an iPod Touch, I'll be going out today to see if I can pick one up.

I live in Glasgow and I go to Beanscene a lot who use The Cloud so I was considering getting a subscription anyway.

Let's hope I find a Touch tonight!

 

[TheCloud]

I'm afraid i cant tell you what the proposition is and when we will launch - but i can tell you its coming very soon......

Thanks for all the emails and offers of help - emails are on their way out and accounts are being setup. i can still take a few more on as i want a wider geographical spread.

Dont worry if you dont have a touch yet - we have something for you soon for when you get one....

thanks

owen

 

[DoesNotCompute]

Hey Owen -

I just ordered my touch today - should be here by the end of the week. Fingers crossed.

Im a student at University College Falmouth.

Its in Cornwall and I've noticed we have the cloud here - I would love to help out, but as I said dont yet have my touch.

Just firgured I'd let you know as you said you wanted a wider geo reach.

Good luck

Gareth

 

[rino555]

iPhone

I will get the touch next month but meanwhile, let me know if I can help you with my iPhone.

 

[swanseastu]

Sent you an email!

 

[TheCloud]

The first trialists have all been enabled. Some more people that have mailed me but not yet supplied a MAC address will go on the trial tomorrow.

THANKS TO EVERYBODY WHO HAS MAILED.

Entries for the trial are now closed. I will reply to any outstanding mails as quickly as possible.

Rino555 will be in touch regarding the iPhone.

thanks!

Owen

 

[RodThePlod]

Entries for the trial are now closed. I will reply to any outstanding mails as quickly as possible.

Dang! I would have loved to have taken part - but my touch is still waiting to be shipped!

What is it with pre-ordering my touch on the Apple store on the day of the announcement and then seeing everyone picking theirs up weeks before Apple even decide to pick mine for shipment

Oh well. I guess I'll hopefully get one free of screen defects.

Anyhow - I'll drop you a line anyway as I'd like to get a contact at The Cloud for one of my projects.

Cheers,

Rod.

 

[tadunne]

The first trialists have all been enabled. Some more people that have mailed me but not yet supplied a MAC address will go on the trial tomorrow.

THANKS TO EVERYBODY WHO HAS MAILED.

Entries for the trial are now closed. I will reply to any outstanding mails as quickly as possible.

Rino555 will be in touch regarding the iPhone.

thanks!

Owen

Now the service is out of the bag I've signed up to it. I'm having trouble finding working cloud hotspots. All the hotspots listed on the clouds site have BTopenzone available there but no cloud? even tho the cloud web site says there should be a hot spot there. It gets even weirder when it's apparant that "the cloud" supplies the wifi service to BT in some cases.

Whats going on anyone know?

 

[wfuggle]

Now the service is out of the bag I've signed up to it. I'm having trouble finding working cloud hotspots. All the hotspots listed on the clouds site have BTopenzone available there but no cloud? even tho the cloud web site says there should be a hot spot there. It gets even weirder when it's apparant that "the cloud" supplies the wifi service to BT in some cases.

Whats going on anyone know?

Where have you tried in Brum? Works for me at Cloud Hotspots eg walking between Palisades ramp and Bull Ring via the Bull on Saturday morning was able to view a YouTube video at 2 hotspots while on the move. Also works around pubs in Harborne and Wolverhampton (I was a beta tester). Are the sites TheCloud or BTOpenzone (like New Street Station).

 

[tadunne]

Where have you tried in Brum? Works for me at Cloud Hotspots eg walking between Palisades ramp and Bull Ring via the Bull on Saturday morning was able to view a YouTube video at 2 hotspots while on the move. Also works around pubs in Harborne and Wolverhampton (I was a beta tester). Are the sites TheCloud or BTOpenzone (like New Street Station).

I was trying to access via some by phone booths on new at. The cloud site lists them as available on their network. The only place I have found a working cloud wifi in brim is at the briar rose. Now either something is up or the cloud are lieing on their site. All i find are bt open zone when i get there can we connect via them? The bt landing page has options for other providers like tmobile etc but no cloud. I was on the understanding that cloud provide wifi for most of openzones hotspots so its alittle weird?
I have raised a support ticket with the cloud at lunch today. No reply yet.

 

[wfuggle]

I was trying to access via some by phone booths on new at. The cloud site lists them as available on their network. The only place I have found a working cloud wifi in brim is at the briar rose. Now either something is up or the cloud are lieing on their site. All i find are bt open zone when i get there can we connect via them? The bt landing page has options for other providers like tmobile etc but no cloud. I was on the understanding that cloud provide wifi for most of openzones hotspots so its alittle weird?
I have raised a support ticket with the cloud at lunch today. No reply yet.

I think the phone boxes was what I was accessing but didn't specifically choose. Simply had wifi switched on and when signal showed on home screen just tapped the YouTube icon (or safari etc) and "boom" you were using the network. Will try New Street Station on Wednesday morning when on way to London.

 

[tadunne]

I think the phone boxes was what I was accessing but didn't specifically choose. Simply had wifi switched on and when signal showed on home screen just tapped the YouTube icon (or safari etc) and "boom" you were using the network. Will try New Street Station on Wednesday morning when on way to London.

I tried where you were saying this morning an yes I could see a cloud hotpot there and it worked, but still none of the other areas I've looked at long new st (the road not the station) appear not to be covered by cloud, even tho there web site says they are.

Again BTopenzone is everwhere and from what I gather most providers let you use other providers accounts for roaming? I know BR openzone people can connect to cloud how about the other way?

 

[wfuggle]

I tried where you were saying this morning an yes I could see a cloud hotpot there and it worked, but still none of the other areas I've looked at long new st (the road not the station) appear not to be covered by cloud, even tho there web site says they are.

Again BTopenzone is everwhere and from what I gather most providers let you use other providers accounts for roaming? I know BR openzone people can connect to cloud how about the other way?

Tried help on their website to try and clarify this and its not very clear! I wonder as TheCloud uses MAC address for Touch and you need to log in to partner sites then on BTOpenzone landing zone you need to log in to get access. Did you get a user name and password with your subscription? I'll try this as well tomorrow. If this is the case it will certainly be part of my feedback! So far they have corrected problems connecting but often 24 - 36 hours after feedback. I think they are still learning how to interact with the device.

 

[Sly]

I think they are still learning how to interact with the device.

Very true, some connection problems I was having at my local mycloud hotspots have now been sorted. My iPT now automatically logs on when in range of a mycloud network.

 

[tadunne]

Tried help on their website to try and clarify this and its not very clear! I wonder as TheCloud uses MAC address for Touch and you need to log in to partner sites then on BTOpenzone landing zone you need to log in to get access. Did you get a user name and password with your subscription? I'll try this as well tomorrow. If this is the case it will certainly be part of my feedback! So far they have corrected problems connecting but often 24 - 36 hours after feedback. I think they are still learning how to interact with the device.

Some cloud hotspots dont seem to support the MAC address route, when this happens you can login with the username/password on the cloud landing page.

The BT open zone landing page has a login that you can select a number of providers like O2, t-mobile etc but no cloud option

Are you still in contact with that cloud user who got you on the trial? maybe you can ask him to look at this thread and maybe he can help with our connection issues in Birmingham. Still no response from the support website. I have been adding my own updates to the ticket of my observations (and the friends with his touch) of the state of the hotspots in Birmingham. The ticket number is 5374-4351429

Out of about 20 hotspots we tried about 3 worked. If more of the BT payphone "HOTZONES" worked the coverage in Brum using the cloud would be great!

 

[tadunne]

Very true, some connection problems I was having at my local mycloud hotspots have now been sorted. My iPT now automatically logs on when in range of a mycloud network.

Using the MAC address (isn't that term over used in the computer industry?) to login to an access point it not new to them, it's how their unlimited single (6.99) account works.

 

[TheCloud]

Hi there

we have had trouble getting hold of devices (like everybody!) - we got some into customer services today, so they are able to more effectively provide support. We hadnt anticipated having a delay in getting them devices last week.

On the connection question if when you connect to a hotspot you get a login page its one of two things.

A) you shouldnt get a login page - but if you get one thats cloud branded it means that either your device hasnt been registered for our service OR you have been in another hotspot in the last 15 minutes. We currently have a 15 minute timeout logout (we dont allow you to be logged in twice at the same time) - I think we may need to look at changing this given how mobile the devices are depending on the feedback from owners

B) you shouldnt get a login page - if its not a cloud branded page, its not part of the cloud network (The cloud is 7,500 of the approx 10,000 commercial hotspots in the UK).

 

[TheCloud]

BTW I'm still getting a lot of emails to offer to sign up for the beta - I'm afraid the beta is over so there are no more beta program places available

thanks!

Owen

 

[tadunne]

Hi there

we have had trouble getting hold of devices (like everybody!) - we got some into customer services today, so they are able to more effectively provide support. We hadnt anticipated having a delay in getting them devices last week.

On the connection question if when you connect to a hotspot you get a login page its one of two things.

A) you shouldnt get a login page - but if you get one thats cloud branded it means that either your device hasnt been registered for our service OR you have been in another hotspot in the last 15 minutes. We currently have a 15 minute timeout logout (we dont allow you to be logged in twice at the same time) - I think we may need to look at changing this given how mobile the devices are depending on the feedback from owners

B) you shouldnt get a login page - if its not a cloud branded page, its not part of the cloud network (The cloud is 7,500 of the approx 10,000 commercial hotspots in the UK).

Owen, Here's the list I sent to customer services I basically printed off the hotspot list and myself and a friend (both with touches) spent a couple hours checking out each one and this is what we found:

No Cloud wifi available, BT openzone available No SSID

BT PayPhone - Pinfold St B2
Shakespeare
BT PayPhone - Temple Row West B2 5PA
BT PayPhone - New St B2 4NP
BT PayPhone - New St B2 4NSc
BT PayPhone - New St (102) B2 4HQ
BT PayPhone - Temple Row West B2 5PA

SSID but can not access web/landingpage or landing page does not let us log in
BT PayPhone - High St B4 7SL
BT PayPhone - Dale End B4 7LP
Woodcock
Square Peg

Works

BT PayPhone - Stephenson Place B2 4PY
Briar Rose
O2 Birmingham
BT PayPhone Union Passage B2


As you can see some of the failure were with the landing page and this is now explained by the 15 min session you mention above.

I think you might need to rethink this as the I think the touch will automatically connect to an access point it's connected to before. So if it sees a cloud access point it will connect. You can be walking through the city centre and be connecting while it's in your pocket. So once you get to your destination and the place you maybe want to use the cloud you are already logged in some place else.

As for the hotspots with no cloud visibility where there should be (according to your listings) They were mostly BT pay phones down New Street (The main street in Birmingham City Centre) So I would hope that these should be working? At the moment half of New street appears to be dark! which is a huge area in the city.

Tim

 

[TheCloud]

Tim

posted on the other thread what I am going to do on this tomorrow. But wanted to say thank you very much for doing this (logging these sites and the problems you had) its really valuable getting well documented information from the field.

thanks again

Owen