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AT&T Hotspots included in service?

M

modul8tr

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jun 18, 2002
229
44
Curious about this.

I went to two AT&T Hotspots today (The Coffee Bean) in Pasadena, CA. My iPhone asked if I wanted to join the AT&T WiFi network and I said yes. It allowed me to access it without a password and surf the net.

It was definitely their WiFi and not EDGE. The speed was crazy fast and I had a full WiFi icon that remained a WiFi icon (never switched back to EDGE).

The iPhone WiFi pop-up had a lock beside the AT&T WiFi network, but I selected it with no prompt for a password.

Anyone else experienced this?
 
i have been wondering about that but i have not had the opportunity to try. glad you succeeded!
 
That would be awesome

My 2nd home is barnes and noble
and i might just have t ocheck that out
 
are you sure the lock means password protected and not encrypted or something like that?
 
Me1000 said:
are you sure the lock means password protected and not encrypted or something like that?
Click to expand...

Well in my experience so far ... the lock (on iPhone) has meant password protected. Like it does in my home and various protected networks I've accessed. When I select the network from the choice of available networks, it will ask for a password.

AT&T did not prompt for password. I would imagine it would work like any other public pay network. Airports, hotels etc. The TMobile hotspot down the street did ask for a password.

To AngryGolfer. Sure I'll check the bill, though I doubt I'll have to. AT&T's pay network should work just like everyone else's. Either you pay to play or you can't access it. :cool:
 
modul8tr said:
Curious about this.

I went to two AT&T Hotspots today (The Coffee Bean) in Pasadena, CA. My iPhone asked if I wanted to join the AT&T WiFi network and I said yes. It allowed me to access it without a password and surf the net.

It was definitely their WiFi and not EDGE. The speed was crazy fast and I had a full WiFi icon that remained a WiFi icon (never switched back to EDGE).

The iPhone WiFi pop-up had a lock beside the AT&T WiFi network, but I selected it with no prompt for a password.

Anyone else experienced this?
Click to expand...


are you currently a premium DSL customer? because there was a CNET article yesterday about how all the wifi spots are free if ur on the premium or w/e, and its like 1.99 if ur on regular. Check ur RSS articles for accuracy
 
Wow that's cool. But no, I'm with Earthlink. Who will soon have citywide WiFi in Pasadena!!

I do have AT&T land line service though. Which I'm sure doesn't matter.


EDIT:

Just ran across this in an RSS feed

"http://digg.com/apple/Free_Wi_Fi_for_iPhone_users AT&T announced that it will offer millions of its broadband Internet customers and iPhone users free access to nearly 10,000 Wi-Fi hotspots nationwide. Effective Monday, AT&T wireless broadband customers will be able to access the Internet at nearly 10,000 Wi-Fi "hot spots" throughout the country, including airports,coffee shops and sporting venues Mon, 02 Jul 2007"

http://iphone.byethost9.com/iphone-news/free-wi-fi-for-iphone-users-3.html
 
modul8tr said:
Wow that's cool. But no, I'm with Earthlink. Who will soon have citywide WiFi in Pasadena!!

I do have AT&T land line service though. Which I'm sure doesn't matter.


EDIT:

Just ran across this in an RSS feed

"http://digg.com/apple/Free_Wi_Fi_for_iPhone_users AT&T announced that it will offer millions of its broadband Internet customers and iPhone users free access to nearly 10,000 Wi-Fi hotspots nationwide. Effective Monday, AT&T wireless broadband customers will be able to access the Internet at nearly 10,000 Wi-Fi "hot spots" throughout the country, including airports,coffee shops and sporting venues Mon, 02 Jul 2007"

http://iphone.byethost9.com/iphone-news/free-wi-fi-for-iphone-users-3.html
Click to expand...


Oh wow this is awesome.... doesn't ATT run all the hotspots at Mcdonalds?
 
wow. Has this been confirmed by AT&T yet. You would think an email would have gone out to all iPhone customers.
 
mashinhead said:
when will that happen?
Click to expand...

Their site says coming soon. They were awarded the contract, summer 2006.

Based on the speed with which they built the Anaheim Wifi mesh network, I'd say we should see something this fall. It will cost $6.99 for the first six months, then $19.99 afterwards. No word on what it will cost for current subscribers.
 
The manager at the AT&T store I waited at said this early last Friday and I thought it was odd since I hadn't heard it anywhere else. This is definitely cool news!
 
if that's true (i will test it out this weekend sometime), i wonder if you could spoof it by changing your user agent on a laptop browser?

either way, that's awesome. i spend a lot of time in Barnes and Noble which does have an AT&T hotspot.

score!
 
I was at a barnes & noble last night, wasn't able to login. Gave me the AT&T login screen but it said it rejected my username and pw. :shrug:
 
I tried this at a local coffee bean, and it looked connected but Safari would only go to an ATT Wireless webpage for login. So, no dice.

Does it require any special information?
 
TonyRockyHorror said:
if that's true (i will test it out this weekend sometime), i wonder if you could spoof it by changing your user agent on a laptop browser?
Click to expand...

Browsers don't do wi-fi - operating systems/hardware do.

A browser is just a browser, it looks for a connection to use. The unit itself has to establish the wi-fi connnection.

If this is indeed true (AT&T hotspots are free for iPhones), then there's something in the wi-fi connection handshaking that says "hey I'm an iPhone". What that is, and if it's replicable, dunno.
 
Noted for future reference.

Future reference being: when I get an iPhone, and if there are even any AT&T hotspots in my area.
 
I tested this and it works great, nothing that hard to do at all.

I took my iPhone to my local McD's parking lot on the first day they announced this. I used my AT&T DSL account login information (xxx@ameritech.net) on their WiFi home page (look for AT&T WiFi Login button at the bottom) and was surfing with no problem on the iPhone.

I have the Elite DSL package, 6.0mbit/s downstream. This should be free for anyone with more than 3.0mbit/s downstream packages.
 
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