For several days, AT&T was offering free WiFi to anyone with a Safari browser and a little common sense. But it seems the company has put a stop to such generosity.
On Wednesday, Macrumors.com reported that AT&T's WiFi hotspot service - which just hit 7,000 Starbucks coffee shops across the US - was coughing up free access to …
So not someone spoofing the Starbucks wifi and gathering a great deal of dumb people numbers to sell to a telemarketer?
I'd wager a list of people dumb enough to buy an iPhone and pay that much for brown and water would be worth a bit as they'd be pretty much anyones "target audience" :D
angle? >>snerk<< well, there you have it. starbucks+ianything is pretty much a targeted demographic. hey... remember copla years ago when some turkish sheep fell off a cliff and some godawfully huge number of other sheep followed them [ reported in el reg, natch]? yep. it's like that.
Doesn't it cost more to restrict access to certain users then simply to give everybody free access.
I mean a hotspot doesn't generate more costs when it's in use, still you should pay for it. On the other side, toilets costs substancial costs when in use, yet in many places they are freely usable.
Can't comment on that side of the pond, but here there's a lot of charging based on data flow - so more people using it does cost you more.
Also, if you make it free, you'll get a lot more people using it - making the connection a lot slower for your paying customers...
However, I'd agree with you that the costs associated with locking it down probably do exceed the revenue... Especially since there are so many ways to get around it if you know what you're doing.
'Also, if you make it free, you'll get a lot more people using it - making the connection a lot slower for your paying customers...'
Shall we examine that assertion with logic enabled?
'Also, if you MAKE IT FREE, you'll get a lot more people using it - making the connection a lot slower for YOUR PAYING CUSTOMERS...'
WHAT paying customers? You just made it FREE! If it's FREE, by definition there are NO paying customers - there may have been, once upon a time, but YOU just made it FREE! Remember?
Hah! You throw user manuals together for a living, don't you? :-)
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AT&T giveth free Jesus Phone WiFi
For several days, AT&T was offering free WiFi to anyone with a Safari browser and a little common sense. But it seems the company has put a stop to such generosity. On Wednesday, Macrumors.com reported that AT&T's WiFi hotspot service - which just hit 7,000 Starbucks coffee shops across the US - was coughing up free access to …
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Posted Monday 5th May 2008 21:12 GMT
TranceMist
Mouse Trap #
The goal of man is to build a better mouse trap.
The goal of nature is to build better mice.
Posted Monday 5th May 2008 22:19 GMT
Sampler
Man in the middle #
So not someone spoofing the Starbucks wifi and gathering a great deal of dumb people numbers to sell to a telemarketer?
I'd wager a list of people dumb enough to buy an iPhone and pay that much for brown and water would be worth a bit as they'd be pretty much anyones "target audience" :D
Posted Tuesday 6th May 2008 00:34 GMT
tim
but where's the #
angle? >>snerk<< well, there you have it. starbucks+ianything is pretty much a targeted demographic. hey... remember copla years ago when some turkish sheep fell off a cliff and some godawfully huge number of other sheep followed them [ reported in el reg, natch]? yep. it's like that.
Posted Tuesday 6th May 2008 08:30 GMT
Christian Berger
Costs? #
Doesn't it cost more to restrict access to certain users then simply to give everybody free access.
I mean a hotspot doesn't generate more costs when it's in use, still you should pay for it. On the other side, toilets costs substancial costs when in use, yet in many places they are freely usable.
Posted Tuesday 6th May 2008 09:04 GMT
Anonymous Coward
Lovely... #
Good to see the self-righteous sneering is in full swing already.
Do they have anything similar to the 1990 Computer Misuse Act over there?
Posted Tuesday 6th May 2008 10:22 GMT
Graham Wood
@Christian Berger #
Can't comment on that side of the pond, but here there's a lot of charging based on data flow - so more people using it does cost you more.
Also, if you make it free, you'll get a lot more people using it - making the connection a lot slower for your paying customers...
However, I'd agree with you that the costs associated with locking it down probably do exceed the revenue... Especially since there are so many ways to get around it if you know what you're doing.
Posted Tuesday 6th May 2008 10:22 GMT
heystoopid
Well #
Peter Principle adherent : Well , it seemed liked a good idea at the time !
Posted Tuesday 6th May 2008 11:53 GMT
Anonymous Coward
Not worth it #
If you have to use Safari...
Even having to spoof the User-Agent is bad enough....
Anon due to flamebait
Posted Tuesday 6th May 2008 12:57 GMT
Anonymous Coward
WARNING! Logic free zone! #
@Christian Berger
'Also, if you make it free, you'll get a lot more people using it - making the connection a lot slower for your paying customers...'
Shall we examine that assertion with logic enabled?
'Also, if you MAKE IT FREE, you'll get a lot more people using it - making the connection a lot slower for YOUR PAYING CUSTOMERS...'
WHAT paying customers? You just made it FREE! If it's FREE, by definition there are NO paying customers - there may have been, once upon a time, but YOU just made it FREE! Remember?
Hah! You throw user manuals together for a living, don't you? :-)
Posted Tuesday 6th May 2008 13:18 GMT
Phil Standen
@ Logic Free Zone #
The ones buying coffee, rather then sitting on the bench outside I would have thought.
You star in widely distributed hotel promotional videos for a living?
This topic is closed for new posts.