Cable ISPs Band Together to Offer Free WiFi Hotspots
Good news if you get your Internet service through Bright House Networks, Cablevision, Comcast, Cox Communications, or Time Warner Cable: You just got free access to about 50,000 WiFi hotspots. The quintet of cable ISPs announced that they’ve partnered to provide free WiFi hotspot access to all of their combined customers under the network name “CableWiFi”.
Currently, Bright House and Cablevision have CableWiFi networks set up in NYC and in central Florida. Over the next few months, more networks from all five participating ISPs will pop up throughout public places such as malls, restaurants, beaches, and parks in New York City (and the surrounding Tri-State area), LA, Tampa, Orlando, and Philadelphia. The group is planning to roll out service to even more areas in the future.
It appears as though the companies’ own branded WiFi networks will remain, however. Either way, customers can log on to a CableWiFi network with their existing credentials, and soon, they’ll be able to automatically connect whenever they’re in range of a CableWiFi hotspot.
The hotspots will be especially ideal for allowing users of mobile devices to use WiFi instead of their expensive mobile data on a wireless provider’s network. However, between the inevitable evil twins and impending smartphone malware problems, users should take care to employ best practices when using the public networks.
Currently, Bright House and Cablevision have CableWiFi networks set up in NYC and in central Florida. Over the next few months, more networks from all five participating ISPs will pop up throughout public places such as malls, restaurants, beaches, and parks in New York City (and the surrounding Tri-State area), LA, Tampa, Orlando, and Philadelphia. The group is planning to roll out service to even more areas in the future.
It appears as though the companies’ own branded WiFi networks will remain, however. Either way, customers can log on to a CableWiFi network with their existing credentials, and soon, they’ll be able to automatically connect whenever they’re in range of a CableWiFi hotspot.
The hotspots will be especially ideal for allowing users of mobile devices to use WiFi instead of their expensive mobile data on a wireless provider’s network. However, between the inevitable evil twins and impending smartphone malware problems, users should take care to employ best practices when using the public networks.
