topic Re: WiFi Access in Plusnet Feedback

WiFi Access

theblisses — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 10:45:46 GMT

With more and more hand-held and pocket devices coming onto the market, does PlusNet have any plans to enable members to take advantage of the wifi hotspots throughout the country? Is there any possibilty of a link-up with BT who give this facility free to their subscribers?
jim:orange all Caps in ttle removed as per Forum Rules mod:end

Re: WiFi Access

itsme — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 11:32:19 GMT

It's only free if you turn your WiFi into a hotspot so you could join www.fon.com and you will get access to BTFON but not all Openzone hotspots.

Re: WiFi Access

gswindale — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 12:10:38 GMT

I was sure PN had a deal with the Cloud a few years back?

Re: WiFi Access

pierre_pierre — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 12:22:21 GMT

they did

Re: WiFi Access

itsme — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 12:37:23 GMT

No they did not, it was with BT Openzone which did not include Cloud.

Re: WiFi Access

gswindale — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 12:40:47 GMT

I couldn't remember which one of them it was.
What happened to it?

Re: WiFi Access

itsme — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 12:48:18 GMT

Got withdrawn a couple of years ago, at the same time that BT were doing some changes to Openzone access.

Re: WiFi Access

Wheel_nut — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 13:29:41 GMT

I am migrating my service to BT on their Winter Warmer deal @ £16-99 and Line Rental for £120 for 12 Months. You get £65 Cashback with TopCashback which yields a total saving of almost £100 over the 18 month Contract period.
That gives me access to All BT OpenZone and all FON hotspots WORLDWIDE.

Re: WiFi Access

itsme — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 13:34:18 GMT

Quote
When you join BT Fon you also get FREE access to BT Openzone. Learn more about these premium hotspots.

So does the above statement apply to you? To join BT FON you are allowing others to use your WiFi connection.

Re: WiFi Access

pierre_pierre — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 13:43:45 GMT

I should say so, when I do an InSSID scan around me there are numerous BTOpenzone PC with no security, I assume you get to the Router only, but not sure how it works

Re: WiFi Access

itsme — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 13:50:40 GMT

You get a landing page where you have a choice to log in or purchase time.

Re: WiFi Access

Wheel_nut — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 13:51:44 GMT

Itsme, With BT, you get a BT Home Hub which has TWO SSIDs broadcast The second SSID is for BT Openzone and FON operates on the BT Openzone SSID.
I believe that the Openzone and FON service is QOS Managed to 512Kbps so is unlikely to affect my service.
Pierre-pierre, If you attach to the Openzon SSID which is "Unsecured", you get the "Landing Page" and have to sign in using your BT Account UserID and Password. You are then on a VPN connection to Openzone so that defines the level of security.

Re: WiFi Access

theblisses — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 13:53:41 GMT

Would any PlusNet staff member like to comment?

Re: WiFi Access

itsme — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 14:07:05 GMT

Quote from: Wheel_nut
Itsme, With BT, you get a BT Home Hub which has TWO SSIDs broadcast The second SSID is for BT Openzone and FON operates on the BT Openzone SSID.

I thought the SSID for the homehub was BTFON and for the Business hub it was BT Openzone. I see more BTFON ssid's around me than Openzone. For information I've been a member of Fon for many years, before BT involvement.

Re: WiFi Access

Wheel_nut — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 14:11:15 GMT

I am using a BT Business Hub - 2-Wire 27HGV at present and will continue to use this when I migrate to BT. The SSID on the Business Hub is definitely BT Openzone but will come back and tell you what the Home Hub does in April.

Re: WiFi Access

itsme — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 14:13:45 GMT

I also use a business hub so I know it's BT Openzone on that but will be interested to know that it's the homehubs that have it as BTFON.

Re: WiFi Access

Wheel_nut — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 14:20:22 GMT

I have a couple of Home Hubs that I bought off eBay but I don't want to take the 2700HGV off the line because I am trying to get my SNR Matgin back down to 6db
I seem to remember that it doesn't configure the second SSID unless you configure it as a"BT Total Broadband" Customer so I don't know how I cold find out. I am in a very low housing density area so can't pick up any neighbouring signals.

Re: WiFi Access

orbrey — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 14:21:16 GMT

Hi all,
It's something that we've done in the past, though there was very little takeup so we dropped it - it's certainly been talked about recently but there's nothing imminent in the pipeline. Rest assured we'll let you know as soon as something is decided though.

Re: WiFi Access

pierre_pierre — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 14:30:53 GMT

I have a BTHomehub 49E6 on the scanner that is WEP and a belkin open but very low signal strength