Some iPhone users on AT&T are noticing a pleasant surprise the last few days, free access to AT&T wireless hot spots using their iPhone. This applies to all popular AT&T hot spot areas, such as Starbucks and Barnes & Noble. It seems only iPhone customers are getting the free WiFi love from AT&T, but hey it is still better than AT&T charging everyone.
When you connect to an AT&T wireless hot spot from your iPhone, you will be taken to a special screen only accessible from an iPhone (unless you fake the user agent string). You will then be prompted to enter in your phone number on the page. The number is then validated against AT&T's records, and if it checks out to be an iPhone, then viola you are now using free AT&T WiFi.
There is of course some things that need to be noted. First off, this is not an iPhone thing, it is an AT&T thing. Meaning that unlocked iPhone in your pocket is not going to be able to do this. However, if you do have the iPhone on another carrier and have your buddies iPhone number on AT&T, then you are in. On that note, if you know a valid AT&T iPhone number, you can fake the user agent on a laptop, and access the WiFi as well, but obviously iPhone Buzz don't condone "stealing" WiFi.
[Via MacRumors]
Ok,,,I keep reading these stupid stories on free wifi hotspots for Iphone users. Ok,, let me say this as average Joe Q. Public. First of all lets see,,,whenever I am going somewhere,,,,lets say a retail store,,,,restuarant,,,friends house,,,some office building,,,a sports bar,,,,park,,,,,etc,,,,I never find myself in a freakin hotspot. This stupid news on Att offering free wifi,,,,is laughable. What???,,,Is the majority of the Joe Q public hanging out in freakin Starbucks and Barnes & Noble. No “F’ing” not. That’s why there giving it away for free. Traditionally you give junk away for free. If you want me to get a hard on….give me HSDPA for free. Until then who really gives a ” F ” !!!!!
You make a good point pimp – but you need to keep in mind that there are a lot of people that work out of starbucks, barnes and noble etc… Again it depends on where you live too. If you live in SF, Seattle or Manhattan, there’s a Starbucks or two at every corner.
I personally spend upwards of 2 to 3 hours at a starbucks blogging just because I don’t have an office per se. So while I agree with you, I’d have to disagree so as result, we agree to disagree.
Look,,,, if we were to take 200 randum folks off the streets of america,,,,and then ask how many of them,,,, to qoute you,,,” work out of starbucks and barnes and noble”. You probably get lucky to find 5 people. And thats being freakin super generous.
I would wager that most people that even DO go to barnes and noble or star bucks are JUST passing through. And NOT there to work out of. As in the Majority of people.
But to each their own,,,,,we can agree to disagree.
I have to disagree with pimp. I live in a suburb of a big city and I get wifi almost everywhere I go. Especially if you go to the mall you can see about 20 different network choices. As for having to use special access to wifi networks that would otherwise be free is stupid. AT&T always has to screw ppl over someway. If they just stuck a normal wifi card in there we wouldn’t have this issue. I think apple should take some tips from the g1