UK ATMs set to offer WiFi access, free for BT and iPhone users

BT Broadband customers and O2 iPhone owners, rejoice -- some 2,500 ATM machines near you will soon be converted to serve as free WiFi hotspots, courtesy of BT Openzone and Cashbox, perhaps the most mismatched pair of commercial metaphors ever put together. The initial rollout starts with 10 machines this week and numbers are expected to steadily increase. Non-BT users and iPhone heretics wanting to join in the fun will have to shell out £5.88 ($10) for 90 minutes or a more reasonable £9.79 ($16) for 24 hours.

[Via Tech Digest]

[sk8ordie @ Jun 27th 2009 4:20PM]

oh great

[kev @ Jun 27th 2009 5:40PM]

i was looking around for some wifi the other day in cardiff, didn't spot any cafes with access signs except a starbucks with "BT Openzone wifi" on a sticker in the window. Cool, I thought, "Openzone" implies some kind of simple and probably free service to get onto - good, good. Bought a coffee and connected. It redirected my to the Openzone site and my jaw dropped at the £6 they wanetd for 90 puny minutes. I literally can get a months service in my house for £10 if I wanted.

Fortunately, the waitress there was able to direct me across the road to an indie cafe with unadvertised non-encrypted 20mbit. And refunded my coffee, without my requesting it.

[pedro @ Jun 27th 2009 5:51PM]

If you have the 'unlimited' BT broadband, you get 500 minutes of BT Openzone a month included with your package, as well as BT Fon.

I think they are offering a free mobile dongle right now also, I have to see what I can get out of them ;)

[g3user1usa @ Jun 28th 2009 3:01AM]

Hey, it's only fair. Somebody has to pay.

[Kris S. @ Jun 27th 2009 4:21PM]

Why do iFail users get special treatment?

[Sacha @ Jun 27th 2009 4:24PM]

Because they pay for it.

[Stephen @ Jun 27th 2009 4:31PM]

Because iPhone users are generally of the younger demographic, more likely choosing their first bank or more apt to switch banks than a business-oriented individual. Not to mention generating favor with the fastest growing sector of mobile phone ownership.

iFail, huh? Pretty clever. I'm coming from a long history of Blackberrys and prefer the iPhone for its functionality. Imagine that? I guess we all want different things from a phone, and there's nothing wrong with that.

[Ethan @ Jun 27th 2009 4:44PM]

Well I've got a 3g and am on payg, and I get all of the wifi stuff, though the initial fee was a bit massive.

[redcard @ Jun 27th 2009 5:00PM]

Wow. Clever comment, Kris.

I'm sorry you can't afford an iphone :|

[Muddy @ Jun 27th 2009 9:02PM]

@redcard

Sorry but I can afford an iPhone because I have been smart with my money and made wise choices in my life, so I am not going to spend £909.99 (from Expansys.com without a contract), when I can spend £429.99 (also from Expansys.com without a contract) for the HTC Hero, which I would consider a better phone. If you want to pay more than double the price for a phone, just so you can say you can afford to throw away money, you go right ahead, we won't stop you.

[b3tan @ Jun 27th 2009 10:06PM]

I love people who hate the iPhone. I really do.
How is it a fail if we get 'special treatment' as you put it. How is it a fail if most major companies/industries/websites back it with custom web portals, software etc...
I could go on and on but most people already know this stuff. In my books, that would be considered a win. A huge win in fact! It became an instant icon.
I admit I'm not a huge fan of the 3Gs and was quite disappointed when it was revealed. It didn't stop them shipping 1,000,000 in the first weekend though. Once again, an f-ing HUGE WIN!!

I don't think it's mainly young people who own them though Stephen. I'd say they're more likely to have the iPod Touch. I mean "The funnest iPod ever" and their ads are just games. Targeting teens. Whereas the iPhone is "the fastest, or the best" with ads focusing on quickly downloading attachments in email which are business orientated. I think it's a little more leveled out nowadays with the PAYG iPhones available and so many ex-contract ones floating around but I still think the younger demographic are the iPod Touch users.

[yes @ Jun 28th 2009 12:07AM]

lol.

Kris S. and Muddy are actually the same person!

nice.



.

[mrhahn @ Jun 28th 2009 10:44AM]

The iPhone contract in the UK includes Openzone and TheCloud wifi access.

[UnixSystemsEngineer @ Jun 28th 2009 12:39PM]

Keep fighting the good fight, Kris. Some day everyone will wake up and realize how right you were, all thanks to your clever use of the term 'iFail'

[james.kelly76 @ Jun 27th 2009 4:28PM]

So stood next to a Cashpoint with a laptop in hand tapping away at the keys doesn't look at all suspicious?

[404 @ Jun 29th 2009 5:07AM]

Hey, at least nobody will try to hurry you up.

"Excuse me, are you gonna be much longer? I need to use the...Are you hacking that ATM?!"
"Oh yeah, sorry, I'm nearly done."
"Uum nevermind, I think I'll go somewhere else!"

[Michael @ Jun 27th 2009 4:36PM]

Dave: So Bob, where you at?
Bob: Well, I'm over here at the ATM machine.
Dave: Wanna get a beer?
Bob: Nah, I'm gonna be here for awhile.
Dave: At the ATM?
Bob: Yeah, I bought 24 hours of WiFi access, so I need to stay right here to use it, I have 16 Hours left.
Dave: you're gonna spend the next 16 hours at the ATM machine!? I need new friends...
Officer: Sir, you're gonna have to come with me, we've had reports of you loitering around the ATM and some think you are planning to rob someone...

[Henry E. @ Jun 27th 2009 5:10PM]

Getting money will be a hassle. Everytime you need some cash, you'll have to fight your way through a crowd of people on their laptop.

[TheBrow @ Jun 27th 2009 5:41PM]

"Bob: Well, I'm over here at the ATM machine."

automated teller machine machine?

[Richard @ Jun 27th 2009 5:47PM]

I'm at the ATM machine entering my PIN number....

[Harry Wagstaff @ Jun 27th 2009 5:52PM]

Oh damn, it's been knocked out by an EMP pulse.

[Neil @ Jun 28th 2009 4:55AM]

Seriuosly, are you guys like retards that have Wi-Fi in your house but refuse to use the wireless connection anywhere other than the room the router is in? Even with any old domestic router you could get enough signal around 30 metres away to happily browse. Nobody has to be stood 'next' to the cashpoint. You can find a cafe/pub/resturant across the road, or even shop in a nearby store. Stop being so obtuse.

[mrklaw @ Jun 27th 2009 4:40PM]

its free for iphone users because all BT openzone wifi hotspots are available for free under an O2 contract

[RLBurkes @ Jun 27th 2009 4:46PM]

While I agree with your viewpoints, I sense a bit of hypocrisy.

[callused @ Jun 27th 2009 4:52PM]

This article should include the the words "these ATMs are largely found in pubs and bars" to save any confusion. One can often sit in a pub or bar with a laptop, within wi-fi reach, without arousing suspicion.

[goweb @ Jun 27th 2009 5:17PM]

"Why do iFail users get special treatment?"

They don't - Openzone access is part of O2's unlimited wifi bundle, which iPhone users get as part of their standard package.

[Neil @ Jun 27th 2009 5:53PM]

"O2's unlimited wifi bundle"

Which you can't use skype on or go on any video streaming sites, along with their fair use policy which is anything but fair. Don't get me started on their unlimited mobile internet that is limited to 250MB. Rant over.

[Epsilon-Not @ Jun 27th 2009 6:09PM]

Ah, so it's not just an iPhone thing as the article would seem to imply, but an O2 thing.

[RLBurkes @ Jun 27th 2009 9:28PM]

If only Engadget had a feature which allowed you to reply to posts; you wouldn't have to quote your man.

[Jinto @ Jun 27th 2009 5:48PM]

People. Here is an idea: With a WiFi hot spot, one does not need to sit directly on the router. If these 'atm' devices are located near strange places like 'coffee shops' and 'restaurants' then people can sit like normal folk in chairs and benches and get online.

[ukjeeper @ Jun 30th 2009 1:37AM]

???? Why? I'm on O2 and have the 'unlimited 3g' bolt-on (on my E90). Why do i need MORE wi-fi options (that i have to pay extra for)???

[Paul @ Jun 27th 2009 6:18PM]

Would it be possible to use a dummied up iPhone thethering setup and use that with the openzone on a laptop??? If o2 aren't happy with using cellular data thethering with paying for it, would they know/care if we use the openzones through thethering???

[Taylor @ Jun 27th 2009 11:30PM]

The iPhone won't let you tether its own WiFi connection to your laptop, only its cellular connection.

[copperjet @ Jun 27th 2009 6:44PM]

Did they really say ATM machine? Redundant, ever?

[KIFF @ Jun 30th 2009 11:49AM]

This is not an iPhone thing, but an O2 thing. Anybody with O2 can have the WiFi access, provided they have the correct wireless bundle.

[Michael @ Jun 27th 2009 7:49PM]

Yes, far too many people say "ATM machine"..I was trying to be realistic...actually I have never once heard someone say they went to an "AT Machine" sometimes they say "The ATM" but mostly "ATM machine"
Even if these are mostly in bars and such, are there really any bars you could sit in and use Wifi for 24 hours? I suppose some sort of Cafe or something, but still the Cafe owner then would be pretty annoyed by so many people hanging out to get the most of their Wifi access fee...
As a momentary convenience it's not a horrible Idea but selling large time blocks seems rather silly...the 90 min access fee is too high in comparison to the 24 hour fee and the 24 hours is too long for a time block. Usual corporate odd idea's and fee ripoffs..

[jjamese @ Jun 27th 2009 8:34PM]

And I bet these hotspots work just like every other where you don't have to sit there for all 24 hours. If you were to use starbucks for example, theirs allows up to 3 or 4 connections a day on their "free" 2 hours you get everyday.

Basically if you need to use it, go ahead a buy 24 hours especially if you know you'll be near another one later on that day.

[uni @ Jun 27th 2009 7:59PM]

It's too dear and restrictive for laptop users so the only pro is for iPhone users but surely the eventual rollout of HDSPA (which a friendly o2 guy said will be by the end of the year) will inert this wifi spread?

[Joshua @ Jun 27th 2009 8:58PM]

Yes. ATM machine. Automated teller machine machine. We know it. Get over it.

[Glenn Tobey @ Jun 27th 2009 9:57PM]

Think of how much safer the ATM with a bunch of people standing around them!!!! :=p

[relawson @ Jun 28th 2009 1:48PM]

Is anyone else thinking this could be a BAD thing? I mean, wifi + ATM... How exactly are the communication routes separated? I'll bet there is a bridge somewhere just waiting to be found :(

[Arian Kooshesh @ Jun 28th 2009 2:04PM]

something witty about this that hasn't been said... yet...

*insert here*

[Arian Kooshesh @ Jun 28th 2009 2:10PM]

iphones: a bulge in your pocket that you'll never have naturally.

-Arian Kooshesh
Blackberry and flip phone user. Bulge all natural.

[Patrick @ Jun 30th 2009 9:19AM]

@g3user1usa

Somebody's gotta pay?

That is what the coffee is for. Starbucks generally only outsources its wifi, but many coffee shops pay for it as a part of the coffee experience. To prevent abuse, some make you enter a code giving you 30 minutes of access per purchase. hmmm... that is an upsell, and what did it cost the coffee shop?

Of course without a membership, they can't track other abuses.
-----------
ATM wifi... Its a brilliant Idea, I walk down the street, and there is an atm in nearly every store, bar, coffee shop, etc.