View Full Version : FON Wi-Fi.
Serenity
27th Jun 2006, 16:55
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/5116960.stm
Has anyone heard anything about this lot. Is it worth it??
Saab Dastard
27th Jun 2006, 23:48
I wouldn't touch it with a 10 meter barge pole.
There is no way that I would allow total strangers a) to connect to the internet over the address that is traceable via the ISP to ME, and b) share my home network.
HTF can you implement WEP or WPA? Have strangers ringing on your doorbell saying "'scuse me, but if your WIFI network is called ACME, can I have the WEP key please?"
"Roam away from home"? Cr@p - I'm in an airport / hotel / rail station / downtown - so how many domestic foneroos are going to be in range? F**k-all.
Sounds like complete b0ll0x to me!
But then I'm just an IT consultant. :E
SD
It seems a very silly idea to me. Apart from Saab's objections, it's also against the terms of service for my ISP.
However, people do silly things with wireless. Recently I tried to explain to a small company that it was a bit dumb to have an unsecured access point in the office, especially when they also had an unsecured network share with company docs (including accounts!). You could park outside the front door, connect, open the share and download what you wanted. Did they care? Nope.
potkettleblack
28th Jun 2006, 08:03
Notwithstanding the security issues it sounds like it could be a non starter as the majority of ISP's are none to happy with the idea. FON are trying to convince them that although some people will undoubtedly hop on the free internet access bandwagon at the ISP's expense that the customers they actually have signed up to broadband will be more loyal. Since it is unproven as to the effects on bottom line it will be interesting to see if any ISP's actually buy into that rationale.
The other issue facing FON is that there are projects in many cities around the world to provide free hotspots anyway. Be interesting to see how it all pans out.
airborne_artist
28th Jun 2006, 10:27
For people with normal UK DSL or cable broadband it's not a runner. Most contracts specify a download limit, with financial or speed penalties for exceeding the limit.
Guy in the house opposite logs onto to your wi-fi router, and proceeds to download by the ton, and you get hit with the cost and hassle.
Forget it.