Working Anywhere

Use Your iPhone Here

Subscribers to Telefonica's O2 service in the UK who have an iPhone will enjoy free WiFi access at over 9,000 hotpots via BT OpenZone and The Cloud. If things are in place with roaming agreements the number could be even bigger potentially, but how the roaming works is usually agreements between the origination carrier and the roaming partner, not always the partners' partner.

Still this is in my mind one more game changing move that can be traced back to Apple. With the new 3G iPhone with built in "WiFi sensing" they have created a platform that has the potential of being always connected. This is something that even RIM can't claim because not every RIM device is WiFi out the door. Here's an example of where Microsoft lost the game a long time ago. Devices on the Windows Mobile and even back in the day of Windows CE had WiFi capability, but never really was it exploited.

Apple has been able to do just that. Never before have the mobile operators, except in the case of RIM, laid down and said, "ok, we'll give you what you want in exchange for ____________" Apple has shown not only are the amazing consumer marketers, but that they understand the business of the telco business very well.

Not So Hot Spot From T-Mobile

It seems all T-Mobile Hotspots are not created equally. This Information Week posting reveals some warts that I've only experienced once on their network at the Sofitel by Chicago's O'Hare Airport.

What I recall there was it was the way the integrator had configured the hotel's WiFi system that caused the problem, not the bandwidth to and from the hotel.

It sounds like other properties suffer from the same problem.

Starbucks Getting Hotter With Ad Supported WiFi

With the transition from T-Mobile to AT&T occuring as who the WiFi provider to coffee shop operator Starbucks rolls out, AT&T continues a series of so called "free" or premium (a bonus for some other purchase) that drives repeat purchase.

Starbucks is now rewarding their Starbucks loyalty card with two free hours each time they buy use it at the cafe or top it up. This is a way to both create more usage, drive more traffic and increase repeat purchase. It's out of the Promotion 101 text book and is all about creating awareness, familiarity and maintaining loyalty.

And it's all being supported by the Yahoo ad deal AT&T struck and announced just after they scored and snagged the Starbucks business.

Can Someone Find The FON

Since December I've now been in Madrid, Barcelona, London and Paris and as much as I try to find a FON, none of them seem to be anywhere. I don't mean casually traveling through, but spending enough time to feel like a resident or at least a semi-resident.

I mean, I wander the streets, dine in cool and hip bistros, tapas, wine bars or find the trendy places that one can enjoy oneself. I don't just visit the tourist spots. So with my Nokia N and E series phones, plus my Blacberry, MacBooks and now Asus eeePC, I regularly log on to the net. But over the last year, finding the FON has been harder than finding an Earthlink Muni WiFi signal....

I think Jonathan Greene was right.