AT&T offering free WiFi to Laptop Connect and smartphone users?

According to the Boy Genius, it's not just iPhone users that will be getting / not getting the telco's WiFi on the house -- the company has plans to offer use of its hotspots for free to Laptop Connect and smartphone users. An internal memo from the provider appears to state that effective May 20th, anyone with a $60 or higher Laptop Connect plan will be able to take a ride on AT&T's networks in 17,000 locations, and the service will be extended to smartphone users later in the year. Of course, the company hasn't exactly wowed us with its rollout of this service for iPhone customers, so don't be surprised if nothing goes the way it's planned.

[Reid @ May 21st 2008 10:43AM]

News flash:

Big telecom company offers you "free" access to their cheaper network, so that you can spend less time on their more expensive network.

In other big news, electricity costs less in off-peak hours, and cell phone companies offer unlimited nights and weekends.

[N30 G30 @ May 21st 2008 10:51AM]

yeah, but if it's faster, than why not?

[mishka814 @ May 21st 2008 10:45AM]

This is yet another sign of hope for the iPhone users out there. The back-and-forth game pulled by AT&T with the Starbucks free Wifi isn't over, and the free WiFi isn't enstated yet - but all signs point to free WiFi hotspots in Starbucks soon. And if if they're offering it for lap tops, then it's basically guarranteed that they will offer it for iPhones.

www.ismashphone.com

[ashoka8350 @ May 21st 2008 11:07AM]

I am sure ATT will provide the same service to all ATT iphones

[happy_penguin @ May 21st 2008 11:04AM]

Yes please.

[ashoka8350 @ May 21st 2008 11:06AM]

I am sure that ATT will extend the same service to iPhone

[Kevin C. Tofel @ May 21st 2008 11:26AM]

After the memo was leaked, the official press release hit yesterday morning: http://www.att.com/gen/press-room?pid=4800&cdvn=news&newsarticleid=25723

[Galley @ May 21st 2008 11:30AM]

AT&T Broadband customers also get free Wi-Fi.

[BigReg @ May 21st 2008 11:55AM]

News flash for those assuming AT&T WiFi is *faster* than HSDPA, in most instances, that is woefully incorrect! Most hotspots can't compete with the consistent 1+ Mbps I see with HSDPA connections. This will be convenient when I don't feel like taking the laptop card out to just hop on the network for a quick news/email update.

[happy_penguin @ May 21st 2008 12:05PM]

News flash for you: In any case I have experienced, wifi is WAY faster than HSDPA. There are claims and then there is reality.

[Rainier @ May 21st 2008 1:41PM]

Wait, you honestly think WWAN is faster than wi-fi? Hahahahahaha!

You do know you're talking about 1 megaBIT per second (Mbps) for WWAN and not one megaBYTE (MBps), right? RIGHT??

[dan drew @ May 21st 2008 12:13PM]

Why does internet for Americans suck so bad? Americans love taking it up the bum.

[kal326 @ May 21st 2008 12:31PM]

As somebody already mentioned AT&T provides free wifi access to broadband access for sometime now. This is probably just a freebie that AT&T is giving away to jump up marketing. That or its a joint marketing venture that AT&T gets some kickback for driving clients to a hot spot hosts store.

[bohdanz @ May 21st 2008 11:23PM]

I've gone through the ATT&T website today and there are NO reference to this service working with Mac.

Have I missed something... why is it appearing on TUAW and yet AT&T makes it clear it's anything but Mac useable?

[thedesolate1 @ May 22nd 2008 7:54PM]

Ummmm this isnt surprising considering ATT DSL customers get free wifi too.