AT&T Offers Free Wi-Fi to Us at Its Hotspots
It’s true! iPhoneAlley has ferreted out a late-breaking development sure to please all the iPhone users who are on the move. In all AT&T hotspots such as airport lounges, restaurants, hotels and universities, users of an Apple iPhone will be able to access free Wi-Fi.
It’s a move that makes sense on several levels for AT&T.
First, Apple iPhone users ARE AT&T customers. If you want to keep your customers, and keep them happy, a service like this will help.
Second, with the increased revenue opportunity for AT&T through the recent change in pricing of the Apple iPhone (3G phones create more fee opportunities), an increased range of services is a logical off-shoot.
Finally, someday, we believe free wi-fi will be ubiquitous as advertiser supported services overlay the relatively cheap infrastructure needed to create wi-fi hotspots. AT&T puts itself ahead of the curve in this regard.
Update at 4:23 p. ET: AT&T now says it’s not going to offer free wi-fi. What a public relations boondoggle. We think they’ll end up doing it to save face within the next few business days.
July 18, 2008 – 9:51 am