Using WiFi in public places
 

I have a strange issue with using my new mobile phone to access the free Wifi in one of the chains of shops in the UK. Their system access perfectly well from the connecting and www access point of view but it wrongly identifies me as Stacey.

I got the new phone, with a new Sim EE card and number, in July. The first time I went into the store with it it connected to the Wifi without me having to go through the registration process and immediately came up with "Welcome back Stacey" on the screen. Seemed a bit odd at the time.

So I thought about it a bit and then called EE. They are adamant that the new phone number I have is just that, a new number which has not been issued to anyone before. So, I called the dealer that sold me the phone, they are equally adamant that the new phone I bought is exactly that, brand new, not refurbished or returned from another customer.

In October, when my old phone contract ended I canceled the contract and got the number transferred (just the number, I didn't have to change the Sim card) to my new phone contract with EE. The Wifi network in the supermarket still thinks I am Stacey.

Can anyone tell me what part of my phone/sim/number is used by the supermarket Wifi to identify the user of the phone? Their customer services people can't tell me this bit of information and they can't tell me how to get my own login name to replace Stacey when they welcome me. I did not have any nuisance calls while using the new number for a couple of months except for the odd "wrong number" but I did get some texts offering Stacey a phone upgrade.

Either EE or the phone dealer must be telling porkies, something I have has been in circulation before.

Have you tried clearing your cookies? It could be in your browser.

Or if your browser allows you to view and selectively delete cookies, delete any from the supermarkets' URL.

"Stacey" filled out a form and made a mistake with her number that happens to match yours?

that's his story and he hopes his Mrs believes him....................

What were you wearing at the time?

It's got nothing to do with your phone number or telco, it's your phone's MAC address that is being recognised.

Either Stacey has a phone with the same MAC address or Stacey was the original purchaser of your phone and returned it to the store, whereupon the store did a factory reset and re-boxed it to be sold as new.

MAC addresses are supposed to be unique to each handset but there have been cases of phones that have the same MAC address ex factory.

Wot's the MAC address ?

I'm just about to have to buy a new phone, as my Telco is switching off 2G, and my present antique phone won't accept 3G ( or 4G )

The MAC address is used whenever your phone is connected by wifi or bluetooth to the internet. It's used to identify your phone on the network by the wifi router.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MAC_address

ExSp33db1rd, you can get a 3G Nokia 3310 in NZ for $99 (only available with Spark though).

https://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/g...-not-practical

Or a basic smartphone that has 3G + 4G,as you wish

Can indeed happen - back about 20 years ago a (large) IT services company I used to work for had a batch of 50 or so PCMCIA network cards all with the same MAC address. Caused enormous problems for a short while until we got to the bottom of it.

SD

TWT - thanks, I am aware of options, will wait and see who offers the best in March, when 2 Degrees carry out their threat ! May even have to give in and go Smartphone, continuing association with Mankind is slowly demanding this, I'm sure babies will be born with a Smartphone welded to their left paw before too long.

Have you considered changing your name to Stacey? ;)

ExSp33 - If you just don't want to get stuck with one of the Ipad/Samsung type 'lumps', Alcatel (et al) do a nice little folding jobbie with KEYS!! that does all the basic things. SWMBO has one and swears by it. Has some limitations but if you don't need to watch Strictly wotsit while sitting on Ben Nevis, it is more than adequate.