Wi Fi

[gfm198]

Everyone seems to say Wi Fi is free, so why is it that networks supply you with a set amount of Wi Fi data to use before charging you???

 

[mikedt]

Everyone seems to say Wi Fi is free,

Thing is WiFi is not actually truly free, except probably municipal city WiFi. but even that is paid for out of your taxes. The "free WiFi" that you might find in bars and restaurants is provided as a complementary service for paying customers.

so why is it that networks supply you with a set amount of Wi Fi data to use before charging you???

Sure you're not confusing WiFi and 3G/4G cellular internet access, as provided by the mobile carriers(networks)?

Some complementary "free Wifi" in restaurants might impose a time limit. I know McDonald's, KFC and BK sometimes does this. You get something like an hour for free, and after that they charge you. Also in some schools and colleges here that do have third party provided campus WiFi. You do get a certain amount of free data and/or connection time, and after that they charge you.

Another thing with many complementary, campus, and municipal WiFi networks, they can be heavily fire-walled and filtered. To block things like porn, gambling and illegal sites, plus things like bittorrent and other data and bandwidth hogs are often blocked as well.

 

[eugenerudenko]

Sure you're not confusing WiFi and 3G/4G cellular internet access, as provided by the mobile carriers(networks)?

Sounds like that may be the case. Anyway, nothing is absolutely free in this world. And if anyone tells you that there's free Wi-Fi - double-check it)

 

[Davdi]

There's a bar I go to in Spain quite often, offers free Wi-Fi (WPA2 with non-obvious password) for paying customers. I spend a couple of hours and 3/4 beers and tapas while using the Wi-Fi. I spend way more on beer & snacks than I would without the free Wi-Fi.

 

[eugenerudenko]

There's a bar I go to in Spain quite often, offers free Wi-Fi (WPA2 with non-obvious password) for paying customers. I spend a couple of hours and 3/4 beers and tapas while using the Wi-Fi. I spend way more on beer & snacks than I would without the free Wi-Fi.

That'a the policy of many restaurants, bars and coffee houses

 

[arielola]

Everyone seems to say Wi Fi is free, so why is it that networks supply you with a set amount of Wi Fi data to use before charging you???

Simply saying, wi-fi is free when provided by the location, like a mall, or at coffee shop.

When you leave the wi-fi place, you will have no more wi-fi to get on internet. Then comes the paid required 3G/4G data for internet browsing. Does that help you with your question?

 

[gfm198]

Simply if you go on dialaphone's website you will see that a package may consist of 250mb Wi-Fi and 500mb data.

If I turn off my packet data does that mean I will never ever be charged for using the internet? Obviously I will only be using Wi-Fi.

Who or how can someone charge me for using Wi-Fi?

Seems that my network cant. But then why would they offer say 250mb Wi-Fi free in the package deal???

Seems strange that this technology and offers have been going for a while and no one really knows whether you would be charged for Wi-Fi.

 

[mikedt]

Simply if you go on dialaphone's website you will see that a package may consist of 250mb Wi-Fi and 500mb data.

Sure I know what you're referring to now. Some carriers include a WiFi allowance as part of their plans, which can be used at certain places where you might normally have to pay to use a WiFi service, e.g. shopping malls, airports, subway stations, railway stations. This is in addition to their normal 3G/4G data plans.

What happens with these paid WiFi services when you connect, there is a landing page and you should be able to select your carrier from a list, then should be able to enter your phone number or username and the password.

AFAICT Dialaphone is only a retailer and not a carrier, so presumably this is a service offered by Vodafone, Orange, T-Mobile, O2, etc.

If I turn off my packet data does that mean I will never ever be charged for using the internet? Obviously I will only be using Wi-Fi.

Who or how can someone charge me for using Wi-Fi?

Anywhere can charge you for using a WiFi service just by having a landing page when you connect, and then expecting you to give payment details or logging-in with a pre-paid account. Then you'll get internet access.

Seems that my network cant. But then why would they offer say 250mb Wi-Fi free in the package deal???

It is something a carrier might offer as part of your package. I know my carrier, China Mobile, does it in some of their plans, I can use WiFi services in certain places where I would normally have to pay for it. What happens here is when I connect, I enter my phone number, they send me an SMS with a code, I enter the code and that gives me an hour. If I want any more, then it's debited from my pre-paid account. But it's cheaper and faster than using 3G.