AT&T Inc today announced that more than 10 million AT&T broadband subscribers will soon have free unlimited access to the company’s nationwide Wi-Fi network, the largest Wi-Fi network in the United States. The offer delivers an annual saving of $60 for AT&T broadband customers, and an annual saving of nearly $240 compared with AT&T Wi-Fi costs for consumers who do not have an AT&T broadband plan.
The enhancement plays directly into the company’s efforts to increase the value of broadband by adding more ways for consumers to stay connected to their worlds. The move also reflects the growing popularity of wireless-enabled devices — from the iPhone to PDAs — as reports claim that more than one-third of Internet users have logged on using a wireless connection from home, at work or someplace else — showing an increase in on-the-go connections1.
“Consumers today expect and demand a premier broadband experience — including a consistent, reliable connection no matter where they are,” said Rick Welday, chief marketing officer, AT&T Consumer, in the press release. “And that’s exactly what we’re focused on. Our priority is to keep our customers connected. Period. Extending our Wi-Fi network supports this effort — and doing so for free combines even greater value with greater connectivity.”
The free Wi-Fi offer will be available to new and existing customers who subscribe to any of AT&T’s broadband services with downstream speeds of up to 1.5 Mbps, 3.0 Mbps, or 6.0 Mbps. Free Wi-Fi access was initially provided to the company’s higher-speed broadband customers last year.
AT&T wireless customers who use Apple Inc.’s iPhone will now be able use their iPhones at hotspots for free if they are AT&T broadband Internet subscribers.
AT&T offers wireless Internet connectivity at more than 10,000 U.S. locations, including retail stores, restaurants and airports from coast to coast.
“AT&T’s legacy is one that has led the way in giving our customers more features and better value — a legacy we intend to keep,” said Welday. “This year, we plan to stand by this commitment by leveraging, and investing, in our network capabilities to bring new enhancements to our broadband service.”
Broadband customers will soon benefit from the free Wi-Fi offer, with qualified broadband plans, upon signing up for AT&T broadband service at a company retail store, online at Att.com or through an AT&T call center. Wi-Fi connectivity will be activated once customers receive their new broadband service and complete both the setup and the registration process as a new customer. A comprehensive list of AT&T Wi-Fi locations can be found here.
AT&T is the largest provider of broadband service, with 13.8 million broadband lines in service as of the third quarter of 2007.
Source: AT&T
so, since I have verizon fios service at home… I get nothing?
Hurry up… I’m tired of using edge when I am not near a hotspot (which unfortunately is often)
Cool! I guess I’ll stick with AT&T;rather than switching to comcast internet.
This is absolutely great news! Another reason for staying with AT&T;. And thank goodness they took over Cingular. If this was still Cingular, we would have to pay for downloading. It is a pity that AT&T;has not reverted back to the old cell phone plans where incoming text messages were free.
Still, this is one more reason to buy an iPhone or something compatible with wifi.
rickw.
“I get nothing?”
“No WiFi for you!” — WiFi Nazi
Seriously, you can get AT&T;’s WiFi service. You just have to pay a monthly fee. Only those who are giving AT&T;money for home broadband service get WiFi access for free.
I was going to get this included with my upgrade to DSL 3.0 this last weekend. I did this because I am dropping Netflix and renting from the iTunes.
I don’t have an AppleTV yet, but I plan on it. For now, I am connecting my iBook and Thinkpad to my LCD HDTV to play the rented movies — which is really nice. I rented a movie last weekend for my kids. Within 10 seconds of beginning the download of the standard def movie, they were watching it. It worked flawlessly with no glitches or hiccups.
Oh, after the 24 hours, iTunes automatically deletes the rented movie from your hard drive. Another simple and easy to use interface from Apple. Got to love it!
I have been one of those higher-speed users with access to the ATT hotspots.
Have fun finding one. There are 10,000 out there, but I’ve only found a few near me (in a city with a population ~1.5 million) and none that are really convenient.
we have ten wi-fi locations here in Yuma, including McDs and Barnes & Noble.
Oh My God. Its starting.
ATT gives us (if you use their broadband, and now why not?) free wi-fi. OUch
Apple shares start to rocket up.
To Peter: you’re off.
AT&T;wireless customers who use Apple Inc.’s iPhone will now be able use their iPhones at hotspots for free if they are AT&T;broadband Internet subscribers.
go iphone!
coffee bean. i don’t know how it is in other cities, but in los angeles they’re all over the place.
that’s where i get to for my free wireless when i’m not home. also as another user pointed out, mcdonald’s has it too.
Normally, I try to keep it positive but I f***ing hate AT&T;. The service is awful. I was in KC a few months ago and quite literally couldn’t get a data signal more than half the time. The cell service was almost as bad, dropping out several times in the middle of conversations or sometimes just not receiving any service at all. Things like this should not be happening in a major metropolitan area. Period. Add to that their questionable business activities such as their new plan to “filter” all the data that flows through their network and I’m almost ready to ditch the iPhone. Almost. I loooooooooooooooove it so much.
McDonald’s, airports, Hotels(comfort inns), Barnes&Nobles;, etc.-tons of them located all over.
What’s to prevent anyone from using their wireless hotspots, a password? If so, that’ll be passed around almost immediately.
Now AT&T;do something for for your wireless customers as well. Give me access so when I have to sit in the Atlanta airport I can get on-line with my Macbook for less than $12 for 30 minutes.
iPhone users should get this included, just like O2’s UK customers get wifi hotspots included.
You’re a real asshole if you don’t share your wifi. You’re even worse if you charge for it.
All ATT has to do is set content filters to filter out all or almost all content…
Darn.. Too bad their fastest residential DSL is only 3 mbps. Switching would mean losing my 15 mbps speeds.
I understand that Microsoft is developing ad supported Wi-Fi (pronounced ‘wee fee’ in France). Users get full-screen ads in beautiful Silverlight format and they cannot be skipped. Ads last between 15 and 30 seconds long and run at 1 minute intervals. Hotspots include Waffle Houses, Shoneys and Deja Vu strip clubs everywhere. I can’t wait.
Thank you, Microsoft for making the internet available free, for the rest of us.
Your potential. Our passion.™
This sounds like something that somebody was predicting someone would do sometime……..
If only I could get a better cell for ATT! I find WiFi all over the place, but a good signal is hard to find. Sent this message from my iPhone via WiFi
Actually, when I got my iPhone last June I discovered an AT&T;wifi plan for DSL customers to get free wifi at all the hotspots for only $2 per month, or $24 per year – much lower than the $60 value quoted above. I’ve used it at MacDonalds, Cosi, some airports, etc…
This will be great news for the 1% of the population it will cover.
I smell a conspiracy…
Perhaps Apple knew this was coming (and perhaps they know it’s going to get much bigger very soon), and that was the reason they chose not to go 3G with the iPhone.