AT&T Provides Free WiFi Access for iPhone Users

Question

AT&T Provides Free WiFi Access for iPhone Users

AT&T has made their WiFi network free to access for iPhone users with a "qualified" data plan, which should mean pretty much anyone with an activated iPhone.

AT&T has instructions on their web site:
http://www.wireless.att.com/learn/internet/accessing-wifi.jsp

Using version 3.0 of the iPhone OS provides automatic authentication after selecting and joining the "attwifi" in a Starbucks for instance.

If you live in NYC or San Francisco and have experienced the network issues you can get around it by hovering around one of these WiFi locations. Apparently, they are letting users route calls over the connection to help address some of the congestion in these areas.

MacBook, Mac OS X (10.6.1), 646help.net

Posted on Sep 24, 2009 12:10 PM

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Answer 1

tokatta

Level 3

869 points

Sep 24, 2009 12:37 PM in response to BridgewayTechnologies

The iPhone has no capability to route a call over Wifi if the cellular network is unavailable.....Where did you get this information?

The only way to route a call over the internet is if the phone is connecting to a femtocell.

The ATT Wifi availability has been out for months - this is not new news either.

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Answer 2

Sep 24, 2009 12:47 PM in response to tokatta

The call functionality has been referenced in the Technology section of the New York Times article titled "A Wi-Fi Alternative When the Network Gets Clogged" by By BOB TEDESCHI, Published: September 23, 2009.

I would assume they have done their fact checking with AT&T! If not, then I stand corrected.

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Answer 3

roaminggnome

Level 10

106,401 points

Sep 24, 2009 12:51 PM in response to BridgewayTechnologies

Upon reading the article it sounds to me that they are saying that using wi-fi for internet will keep customers from clogging up cellular allowing more capability for phone calls via cellular.

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Answer 4

tokatta

Level 3

869 points

Sep 24, 2009 12:57 PM in response to BridgewayTechnologies

I think the article is misleading. Routing calls over WiFi requires VOIP - and although there are VOIP clients, the iPhone has never claimed to do VOIP on its own.

I found the passage though, and I personally think it is 100% wrong. Maybe WinMO 6.5 can do this, but I don't see how without user intervention - someone has to tell the phone to use VOIP versus 3G - you certainly don't want your voice call going over any WiFi hotspot, and what if Starbucks is oversubscribed - I then my Voice going over AT&T. Also, VOIP has no encryption where GSM does:

"AT&T claims to sell more Windows Mobile phones than any other carrier, and with the introduction of Windows Mobile version 6.5 next month and new Windows phones like the HTC Touch Pro2, it stands to sell more. Now all Windows Mobile users can duck into a Starbucks, among the many other locations with AT&T Wi-Fi, and the phone will automatically route data and calls over a high-speed Internet connection.

Many people with iPhones and AT&T BlackBerrys don’t know it, but this perk has been available to them for months. The difficulty, of course, is finding a free hot spot when you need it. "

But maybe I am wrong.... this is news to me. Anyone else have any comments? In theory you could put your phone in airplane mode, turn on Wifi and make calls at starbucks.

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Answer 5

Sep 24, 2009 1:00 PM in response to tokatta

T-Mobile does have this feature in their network, but it is usually a customer selected home option. I emailed the author for verification and plan to try it out this evening at a local AT&T hotspot.

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Answer 6

tokatta

Level 3

869 points

Sep 24, 2009 4:48 PM in response to BridgewayTechnologies

I Know T-Mo does, but it was only with a select few handsets I thought.

I am curious to hear what you find out.

Edit:

With T-Mo it is not VOIP but a competitor UMA - the phone actually gets a UMA icon at the top.

"T-Mobile's HotSpot @Home looks and feels like VoIP, but it isn't. It's based on Unlicensed Mobile Access technology. UMA is supported by cell phone manufacturers and competes with VoIP technology. "

Message was edited by: tokatta

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