Wi-Fi in mobile contract tariffs • Non-Gaming • Mobile Phones • Eurogamer.net

Lutz 2 Sep 2010 11:07:27 48,870 posts
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I recently got a new contract with O2 with the new iPhone... One of the things in it is "unlimited Wi-Fi"... Now, I believed that this couldn't *possibly* mean your own home Wi-Fi... I mean, how on earth could they track it? And as other companies such as Vodafone were advertising limited access over Wi-Fi for thier iPhones (Say a gig a month or something) I seriously thought it had to be something else. I assumed that it would be for BTOpenzone... but to access that you need BT broadband, with an email address and a password.

So, are mobile phone companies seriously advertising the use of your own home Wi-Fi as part of their tarriff deals now? And if it really is for your own Wi-Fi, how on earth can it be anything other than unlimited? (Any cap on your home broadband not withstanding?)

chopsen 2 Sep 2010 11:14:05 21,958 posts
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No, they mean access via public wifi hotspots such as BT openzone. Although their definition of unlimited is restricted by a fair-use policy (i.e. not unlimited really)

chiefian 2 Sep 2010 11:14:57 475 posts
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Good question, I've not seen that before. I guess they're saying it's one of the many perks of owning a smart phone.

They should put other silly quotes on there too, i.e. unlimited use of the calculator...

Lutz 2 Sep 2010 11:16:40 48,870 posts
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So where is my log on and password?

bzzct 2 Sep 2010 11:18:02 2,518 posts
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I'd assumed they were being daft as well, and just clarifying to people that using their own home wi-fi connections doesn't cost anything, but as explained to me by a guy in a phone shop recently, it refers to public paid-for areas, such as The Cloud in London, and therefore is actually quite a cool thing to get included in the tariff.

heyyo 2 Sep 2010 11:18:48 14,356 posts
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Of course it means public wi-fi access lol. Maybe just not BT Openzone hotspots?

chopsen 2 Sep 2010 11:19:11 21,958 posts
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Lutz wrote:
So where is my log on and password?

When I signed up with orange, they SMS'd it to me.

bzzct 2 Sep 2010 11:19:26 2,518 posts
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Lutz wrote:
So where is my log on and password?

Do you definitely need one, or does it detect your network/tariff somehow and just let you on?

Deleted user 2 September 2010 11:21:16

I'm on o2 and I'm pretty sure I don't have access to wi-fi hotspots. I thought unlimited wi-fi use just meant at home and was stupid advertising.

chopsen 2 Sep 2010 11:22:36 21,958 posts
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Oh, ok, maybe O2 are just a bunch of mongs then.

heyyo 2 Sep 2010 11:26:07 14,356 posts
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AaronTurner wrote:
I'm on o2 and I'm pretty sure I don't have access to wi-fi hotspots. I thought unlimited wi-fi use just meant at home and was stupid advertising.

CAn't be? That's some fucking seriously misleading advertising... it can't be - look at the uproar over ISP advertising "[u]up to[/u] 8 meg" and then supplying 0.5mb net because you live far from the exchange.

I haven't heard any uproar re this before now... unlimited wi-fi access at home is a non thing, it's not telecoms provider based it's a feature of every single wi-fi device, they wouldn't be allowed to add it to their advertising surely??

Lutz 2 Sep 2010 11:27:39 48,870 posts
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We need clarity...

Deleted user 2 September 2010 11:28:12

Hmm

http://www.o2.co.uk/explore/tariffs/boltons/paymonthlyboltons/unlimitedwifi

Goban 2 Sep 2010 11:29:54 10,121 posts
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Pretty clear.

heyyo 2 Sep 2010 11:32:27 14,356 posts
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Yeah, usually with things like this they work how you expect them to work. Car insurance cover terms are the same, they agree with common sense.

Deleted user 2 September 2010 11:35:03

I don't know why they do't make more of a deal out of it, I just always assumed that it was crap marketing. Anyway, looked near me and there aren't really many hotspots unless I want to go and spend loads of time at McDonalds.

Lutz 2 Sep 2010 11:35:28 48,870 posts
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Ah, so it's access to The Cloud then?

Deleted user 2 September 2010 11:37:06

Post deleted

speedofthepuma 2 Sep 2010 11:37:28 13,428 posts
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I thought it did specifically say so.

edit: Coward boabg!

Deleted user 2 September 2010 11:38:30

Not when you're choosing your tarriff, there's no mention of The Cloud. Well not on my tarriff there isn't.

Deleted user 2 September 2010 11:39:31

AaronTurner wrote:
Not when you're choosing your tarriff, there's no mention of The Cloud. Well not on my tarriff there isn't.

Yeah not on mine either.

speedofthepuma 2 Sep 2010 11:39:51 13,428 posts
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I meant that link.

Lutz 2 Sep 2010 11:41:16 48,870 posts
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Yup, nor mine. Just downloaded The Cloud app to find hotspots... And it can't determine my location... Go to settings, and location services are frayed out and can't be turned on... Great...

Nexus_6 2 Sep 2010 11:42:51 6,169 posts
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Lutz wrote:
So where is my log on and password?

I had a similar issue (of not understanding) when i got my iPhone. Just go to the shop, and they will set you up with the necessary techno-gubbins.

Then you find there will be a poor quality connection at all O� shops and other places, for example.

Deleted user 2 September 2010 11:42:58

speedofthepuma wrote:
I meant that link.

Yeah it mentions the bolt on being for use with public hotspots but my missus contract just said "free wireless" even though she doesn't have said bolt on.

nickthegun 2 Sep 2010 11:44:48 87,711 posts
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All the O2 hotspots (mcdonalds and the like) just ask you to put your phone number in.

Deleted user 2 September 2010 11:45:46

People actually thought this meant home wifi?

Lolz.

It's BT openzone/cloud. Go to a place with these and your phone will autoannoyingly connect.

It will then ask you to put your telephone number in the start up page. Then it will either work or tell you to fuck off. If it tells you to fuck off you call up O2 and call them cunts till they fix it.

Done.

Lutz 2 Sep 2010 11:46:29 48,870 posts
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Cheers NTG. Just wish the contract would have said "the cloud"

Deleted user 2 September 2010 11:47:48

I think the confusion with my tarriff is that they specify having access to The Cloud in the internet bolt-on, but my unlimited wi-fi is actually inclusive in the tarriff and there is no mention of The Cloud at all.

bzzct 2 Sep 2010 12:34:40 2,518 posts
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Yeah, despite a somewhat and late and therefore redundant return to the party... the guy that told me it was for The Cloud etc was an O2 guy (and in this instance was talking specifically about an iphone tariff as Lutz is getting).

So it's not O2 being mongs/having seriously fucked up advertising.