WiFi access via BTFon and Fon

itilley · Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2009 5:02 pm Post subject: WiFi access via BTFon and Fon

If you have a BT Total Broadband package or have a Fon WiFi Router you have free access to thousands of Hotspots through out the UK, Europe and many other countries in the world.
Since BT joined up to provide this service last year there are now thousands of access points available in the UK.
There are maps available (Google Maps) for the hotspots (mainly outside houses) on the BT site and the Fon site.
After a search I have found a site where you can download updated POIs for the UK, EU and other countries.
They can be downloaded in the various formats e.g. OV2, CSV etc.
The site is http://www.francofon.fr/myiframe-index.iframeid-4-export-gps-poi-fon.htm .
Access to the WiFi sites is explained on the BT site and on the Fon site on the Internet.
I have recently joined this system and have found that when travelling about I can virtually get onto the Internet most places throughout the country.

Andy_P · Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2009 5:19 pm Post subject:

Spam?
Nothing to do with POIs...

itilley · Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2009 5:36 pm Post subject:

Sorry - Why SPAM.
I have just downloaded the pois.
Thought this would be helpful for people wanting onto the Internet.

Darren · Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2009 5:57 pm Post subject:

itilley · Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2009 6:04 pm Post subject:

Thanks Darren.
My first thought was to email you with this info as there is no other place I could find anywhere to download the POIs.
But after doing the downloads I thought it was worth posting as they were useful to people travelling round the UK e.g. on holidays - Camping where they are being ripped off for Internet access charges.
Hope the Spam post does not put people off.

Andy_P · Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2009 6:16 pm Post subject:

Sorry, missed the single line about downloading POIs. It seemed to be just about WiFi routers.

Darren · Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2009 6:28 pm Post subject:

In summary for those who have never heard of FON, they supply a customised WLAN router that has a private and public 'channel'.

You piggy back it on your ADSL connection at home. The private connection is there for your personal use and the public one broadcasts itself as a Public Hotspot.

You can choose to be paid for each user who logs-in via your hotspot OR you can choose to have free access to all the other FON spots.

FON offer heavily subsidised routers with you committing to maintain the Router in a connected state for 1yr. if you don't then they reserve the right to invoice you for the full cost. IIRC I paid Euro 10 for my first one some years back and have since upgraded to better models and now one with an external wall mounted antenna.

It's a great idea, now fully supported by BT and could grow to provide much better coverage than other commercial hotspots with much wider world coverage.
_________________
Darren Griffin

Oldboy · Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2009 7:57 pm Post subject:

Darren · Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2009 8:05 pm Post subject:

Oldboy · Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2009 8:08 pm Post subject:

Quote from http://www.fon.com/en/info/makeMoney

Darren · Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2009 8:37 pm Post subject:

Hmm, I'm sure I chose the 'Bills' option at one point in the early days so either I'm mistaken or it has since changed.
_________________
Darren Griffin

	PocketGPS
	Web