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News and information for free public access Wi-Fi location owners and users

We call a hotspot that offers free Wi-Fi internet access a Wi-Fi-FreeSpot.

Click here for the Wi-Fi-FreeSpot Directory.

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Want to learn how to build a FreeSpot? Go to WiFiFreenet.

 

FreeSpot Directory Additions

New locations on the Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC pages.

posted by Jim at 8:19 AM

 

FreeSpot Directory Additions

We have our first Rhode Island page listing. The Hydrangea House Inn in Newport.

posted by Jim at 6:28 AM

 

FreeSpot Directory Additions

New Mexico joins the ranks. Their very first listing is in Albuquerque and has been joined by another in Santa Fe.

posted by Jim at 10:11 AM

 

FreeSpot Directory Additions
A couple new locations in Palo Alto have been added to the California page, and there's a new location in Reno on the Nevada page.

posted by Jim at 6:00 PM

 

You can make money with Free Wi-Fi
If you aren't a registered user or you didn't get a chance to read the full story in last week's NY Times about commercial retail businesses that offer free Wi-Fi, here's a brief summary.
They are seeing an increase in business that they attribute to the free Wi-Fi. Schlotzsky's Delis report that they have seen a 6% increase in per store business which could mean as much as $100,000.

posted by Jim at 5:57 PM

 

Verizon Hotspots in NYC

Verizon Online DSL or dial-up internet customers can use the new Verizon Hotspots in New York City for free by using their Verizon Online User Name and Password. More info at Verizon Wi-Fi

posted by Jim at 10:21 AM

 

FreeSpot Directory Additions

You''l find new listings for Green Bay and Stevens Point on the Wisconsin page and a new listing in Berkeley on the California page.

posted by Jim at 8:13 AM

 

FreeSpot Directory Additions

New additions for Tucson and Seattle.

posted by Jim at 5:02 PM

 

Location based advertsing

In my posting about Wi-Fi Clouds I talked about the sponsoring local government or business association using a web page to present advertising/promotions from local businesses to the free access users. This usually is facillatated through the use of what is called a "captive portal". When people first make a connection they are re-directed to the "captive portal" before being able to undertake regular web surfing.

My wififreenet.com site offers info on how to build a FreeSpot and on that site I suggest that FreeSpot owners could subsidize the free access by presenting advertising from other local businesses via a similar "captive portal". The only trouble is I haven't been able to find an inexpensive, easy to install method for building a customized "captive portal" for FreeSpot owners. I've looked at NoCat and wicap and searched high and low with no success. Anybody out there have a solution? Contact me at free@wififreenet.com

posted by Jim at 6:17 AM

 

Free vs. Fee

There's an interesting story today in The New York Times - Internet Access for the Cost of a Cup of Coffee

posted by Jim at 5:57 AM

 

FreeSpot Directory Additions

You'll find new listings on the California, Illinois and Michigan pages.

posted by Jim at 2:29 PM

 

Wi-Fi Clouds

Wi-Fi Clouds is a term that is commonly used to describe areas of widespread wi-fi availability. Usually the access is provided by and/or sponsored by the local government or business associations. Long Beach, CA, Jacksonville, FL and Athens, GA are frequently mentioned in the press as examples. Coming on June 1 FreeBeeAtlanta says it will provide free access across a six square mile area of the Buckhead Business District. Paris, France is in the midst of a project that eventually will cover the entire city. Another is Manhattan's Downtown Alliance's city parks free hotspot project.

These projects are aimed at bringing people to these districts, laptops in hand, to take advantage of the free broadband access. But, what do the local businesses gain if people are just sitting around in the park surfing the net and checking e-mail? With the use of customized portals localized promotions can be presented to the laptop owner. While sitting in the park an access user could find out that there's a great sale going on for shoes, or CDs, or whatever, just a short walk from where they're sitting. No need to make plans to go to a sale they read about in the newspaper, they can just get up and go. Or, perhaps there's a free concert taking place nearby, or a new show opening at a local gallery, or a lunch special at a local deli. The possibilities are endless. Internet/browser based advertising has struggled to find the right audience but Wi-Fi clouds that draw the audience to a specific location may just be the answer.

posted by Jim at 7:38 AM