Dummies, Wireless

Metro Wi-Fi networks can be free, subscription based (for a fee), or (as is
often the case) a combination of the two. For example, many cities are
proposing a free advertising-supported low-speed service and a higher speed
service for a monthly service fee.
The main thing to keep in mind about metro-wide Wi-Fi networks is that
although they work technically (meaning, it’s possible to build the network
and run it successfully), the business case for such a network is often difficult
to make. Metro Wi-Fi networks are expensive to build and expensive to operate,
and a number of cities have bit off more than they could chew and scaled
back their plans. The rise of high-speed broadband services from mobile
phone companies (3G services) has also made the need for metro-wide Wi-Fi
a bit less acute. In the long term, metro-wide Wi-Fi may never be as big or as
prevalent as folks thought it would be a few years ago. Even Google has
scaled back or slowed down their plans to build such networks for cities.
Using T-Mobile Hot Spots
Chapter 16: Going Wireless Away from Home
The biggest hot spot provider in the United States — at least in terms
of companies that run their own hot spots — is T-Mobile (http://hotspot.
t-mobile.com). T-Mobile has hot spots up and running in more than 8,600
locations, primarily at Starbucks coffee shops throughout the United States.
T-Mobile got into the hot spot business when it purchased the assets of a
start-up company named Mobilestar, which made the initial deal with
Starbucks to provide wireless access in these coffee shops.
T-Mobile has branched out beyond Starbucks and is also offering access in
American Airlines Admirals Clubs in a few dozen airports as well as in a
handful of other locations. T-Mobile charges $29.99 per month for unlimited
national access if you sign up for a year and $39.99 monthly if you pay month
to month. If you have a phone from T-Mobile, you can add the unlimited plan
to your monthly bill for $19.99. You can also pay by the day (about $10) or by
the hour ($6 per hour).
T-Mobile also offers some corporate accounts (for those forward-thinking
companies that encourage their employees to drink quadruple Americanos
during working hours — Danny, are you listening?), prepaid accounts, and
pay-as-you-go plans.
To try out T-Mobile hot spots for free, register on the T-Mobile site, at
hotspot.t-mobile.com.
T-Mobile, like most hot spot companies, uses your Web browser to log you in
and activate your service. You need to set the service set identifier (SSID) in
your wireless network adapter’s client software to tmobile to get on the network.
(Check out Part III of this book for information on how to do that on
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