AT&T offers DSL subscribers free Wi-Fi

AT&T DSL subscribers can now get free access to its Wi-Fi hot spots throughout the country.

Subscribers of services that offer download speeds of 3 megabits per second or higher will get access to any of its 10,000 hot spots in airports, coffee shops, McDonald's restaurants and Barnes & Noble bookstores for free, the company said Monday.

Subscribers of AT&T's lower tier service can pay $1.99 for unlimited Wi-Fi access. Non-AT&T subscribers pay $7.99 per day for Wi-Fi access in these public hot spots.

Adding Wi-Fi as part of the total broadband package for DSL subscribers fits in well with AT&T's overall strategy of allowing people to connect to the Internet anywhere, using any device.

The bulk of AT&T's wireless efforts have been in expanding its 2.5G and 3G cellular networks. But the company also sees a place for Wi-Fi. In fact, AT&T is actually building a municipal Wi-Fi network in Springfield, Ill. And it's a contender to build a similar network in Chicago.

But unlike competitor T-Mobile, AT&T doesn't seem to have plans to use Wi-Fi to carry voice traffic. Earlier this month, T-Mobile, the smallest of the major wireless operators in the U.S., announced it is offering a dual mode Wi-Fi/cellular service throughout the country. This service essentially enables people to switch between a Wi-Fi and cellular network while they're talking on the phone.

Instead of a replacement for its voice network, AT&T seems to see Wi-Fi as a way to provide fast Internet surfing to people on the go. A perfect example of this strategy is the new Apple iPhone, which only operates on AT&T's 2.5G cellular network that offers data downloads that peak around 200 kilobits per second. But the iPhone also supports Wi-Fi, which allows people who are within range of a Wi-Fi hot spot to surf the mobile Net at true broadband speeds.

[totorototoro]

What about iPhone users?

Come on AT&T, give iPhone users some wi-fi love :p
(if lower tier DSL users pay just $2.99/month for this, I'd love that option on my iPhone data plan)

[bommai]

I think it is free for iPhone users too

I think it is free for iPhone users too.

[kylegas]

details?

Where would one find this offer? Theres no mention of it on at&t's web page. A link would be helful if possible? Thanks

[Lee in San Diego]

I agree

A link would be nice. I have DSL with AT&T and would like to take
advantage of this offer.

Finding information on AT&T's web site can be difficult. Usually you
need to drill down to the moho layer to find for what it is you are
looking. They are not alone in that regard, a lot of big business
web sites suck. I make no secret that I am a Mac user and
unabashed Apple Fan Man, but Apple's web site is mostly very
visitor friendly.

[backupgeek]

ATT URL

http://www.att.com/gen/general?pid=5949 has the details.

[backupgeek]

login details

One more thing. I was told you login using your primarly DSL email address and password. The ATT rep thought it would work with iPhone but I am not sure if he has ever tried it himself.

When you connect to the access point, the browser is supposed to default to the login page

[Stating]

Now If T-Mobile Would Follow

T-mobile needs to adjust their Day Pass price downward. $9.95 is too steep for what has become a commodity.

[k2dave]

Why is this news, Verizon has had this for years?

I have been able to access verizon's WiFi spots using my Vz DSL logon for about 2 years, if not longer. What is the big deal here, just AT&T finally caught up?

[qwerty75]

It is news

Because the pseudo-journalists at CNET like to reprint PR releases as news.