AT&T Finally Offers Free WiFi for iPhone Customers
Really? No, wait. Ok now? Maybe. Ok how about now? Yeah, now. In a completely unexpected turn of events, AT&T has just announced that it has begun offering free WiFi connectivity to iPhone users at more than 17,000 hotspots around the country. And yes, by “unexpected” we mean completely expected and overdue. Since AT&T’s launch/pull/launch/pull stunt earlier this year, the future was a bit unclear for AT&T’s free WiFi offering for iPhones. Included in the 17,000 hotspot sum by the way, is each and every AT&T hotspot-equipped Starbucks location in the US. A week after the launch of the iPhone 3G and amidst accusations that AT&T and Apple are intentionally manufacturing handset shortages, now might be the perfect time to have announced the old new offering. The one oddity in all this, at least as to the timing of the announcement, is that AT&T and Apple just went to great lengths in pushing AT&T’s 3G network. Hell, the iPhone is even named “3G”. So if this new faster iPhone on AT&T’s high speed is so fantastic, why do we need free WiFi?
[Thanks Ron]
Because 3G is only available in Metro Areas. Most of AT&T’s coverage is not YET 3G. (Will be - but is being rolled out slowly.)
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Uh, we need WiFi because in most places, you’re more likely to find a Starbucks than 3G coverage.
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Right. ATT can press release all they want, but their 3G coverage SUCKS.
Um, and Zach, what part of “free” did you miss reading in your own post? That means data that is NOT charged against whatever soft cap ATT has on their “unlimited” data plans.
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So people can use iTunes to BUY more Apple stuff…
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Zach failed to mention it’s probably free because tmobile is suing Starbucks because Starbucks is using Tmobils equipment that generates the hot spots.
starbucks forgot about this seemingly minor detail when att wanted to make an agreement with
them to use wifi hotspost so att could make money on ther subscriber s thorugh wifi charges.
tmo us said HEY wait?! thats OUR eqipment we installed!! yor gong to cut ties fin but you can’t yous our hardware and conection to go into cohorts with another carrier hence the lawsuit.
thats one of the reasons you have att offering it to you for free finally blus if your on another AP (access point)it would not make sense to try and charge for it
also yesterday it was anounced that Starbucks will be closing stores in 44 states n laying off roughly 7% of it’s work force. ( I feel bad for those guys)
so enjoy the free starbucks wifi while you can
cause after they close thos stores you have to go to MCcrap to get your wifi on.
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The 3G network is the reason I see no need to buy the new phone right now. They have no 3G anywhere close so I stick with my orig. iPhone and use all the wifi i want.
Its about time, I will say that if you travel this is great as many airports have AT&T wifi and it comes in handy.
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“…and amidst accusations that AT&T and Apple are intentionally manufacturing handset shortages…”
So, AT&T and Apple are working with Nintendo on their marketing and distribution strategy, huh? Interesting…
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People, 3G is a bit faster than Edge just a bit but not by much though, i have the 1st gen iphone and my wife has the new one, 3G is faster on loading pages but i don’t think is worth the $15 extra AT&T want’s, So yes am holding off on the new one cause now i know what would i get into if i get it, but hey if you don’t have the old one i guess it’s ok to get the new one
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Umm, cause iTues needs WiFi to work! So you flip ATT WiFi before you get on a flight and load up on songs then get on the plane. Makes dollars and sense!
And I’m getting 800kbs+ on my 3GIP, so don’t tell me your old iPhone is as fast, cuz that’s BS dude!
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the other day i was in att store checking out iphone. i tried loading http://www.boygeniusreport.com on iphone, and man it was slowwwwwwwwww.
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i’m guessing we just get Basic WiFi, right? I know i’m being greedy but it would be great if they gave us Premier WiFi so I can roam on partner networks (ie JFK/LGA/Newark airports… etc.)
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did u say free?
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Mea Culpa Again…ATT has taken down the notcie and admitted it was an erroneous posting…
No soup for you iPhone customers!
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RE: “So if this new faster iPhone on AT&T’s high speed is so fantastic, why do we need free WiFi?”
ONE: As of now, WiFi is STILL much faster than 3G.
TWO: The vast majority of the land area of the U.S. (and the world) does NOT have 3G coverage, in spite of the complaints that the first iPhone NEEDED 3G.
THREE: Free AT&T WiFi hotspots are available in many areas where 3G is in service, but cannot be accessed because the user is inside a building etc. etc. etc.
FOUR: I have found 3G to be significantly faster on web sites, in the SAME location, that I visited with my EDGE iPhone. With 3G, my wait times are dramatically less, and I get to visit web sites that I could not reach a few weeks ago with EDGE, because EDGE just took so long to download that I had to be on my way before the downloads could finish.
I wish the AT&T data plan remained the same for 3G, however, the 3G service is worth EVERY PENNY when I need it.
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Perhaps they still have problems with the 3G network/coverage? I was at the AT&T store the other day trying out the new iPhone 3G and I must say the speed felt very 2G’ish despite the 3G indicator was on. I asked the sales guy and he agreed and didn’t know why it was sluggish.
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Will BlackBerry Bold users get free Wifi too?
Why do only iPhone users get this benefit?
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Dang it! Rumor only once again.
http://gizmodo.com/5026708/rumor-smashed-att-free-wi+fi-for-iphones-isnt-live-yet
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Doesn’t matter anyway - the announcement was issued in error — AGAIN: http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-9994170-94.html
Sorry, still no WiFi.
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I have heard that this “free” offer is only free if you subscribe to AT&T’s broadband service. True? If so, it’s not nearly the boon we were all hoping for.
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last time i checked wifi was faster. and this is America, jack…we love free stuff.
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ATT’s brad band service?! LMAO it’s DSL cabli sis so much faster
but also the cable and telcos are throttleing bandwitch for the most part the US is DEad last as fare as avarge rate of transfer
rhode island is a 1.8 mps
uke 15 mbps
south korea and japan 64 mbps
course japan should finish testing hardware that wil et the avaerege cell user pull 300 mbps. done testing ny 2k9 dokomo is testing it
US telcos and cable cos need a Reality chech. mostof our web infastructure is still coper wire based
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Just read a news scroll stating the ATT WiFi offer for iPhone customers was a mistake…
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There is no point of complaining about AT&T’s 3G network. It is more like 2.8G. 3G networks are suppose to support video conferencing. AT&T doesn’t. 3G networks are suppose to get at least 1.5mbps. Someone said 800K here, and that’s called fast?? There are phones out there in Asia and Europe that supports 7.2mbps. Granted, most services overseas only have 3.6mbps at best. It seems kinda funny to me for AT&T to boast a 3G network when it is not even close when it comes to performance. It’s the US 3G network, not 3G network. Wifi is necessary in the US because coverage is lame regardless of service providers.
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providing WiFi is cheaper than EDGE or 3G, that’s why
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