Can iPhone/AT&T users access AT&T WiFi for free?

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daihard

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Those of us who use iPhones in the U.S. are AT&T account holders (unless you unlocked yours). Does this entitle us to access all the AT&T WiFi locations without additional fees?

I know this doesn't make much sense. After all, we get 3G most everywhere, including the places where AT&T WiFi is available, so why bother? Well, my thought is that WiFi is quite a bit faster than 3G, so wherever I can use WiFi for free, I would like to. :)

I browsed through the AT&T Web site a bit, but I couldn't find any relevant information. If any of you can point me in the right direction, if not giving me the direct answer, I would much appreciate it. :)
 

deftdrummer1

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dài that is an old article. This has been ongoing for quite some time. AT&T keeps teasing Iphone customers will free wifi. The idea is that the more users they have using wifi, the less stress on their 3g networks.

The link you posted is from the first implementation when even non-iPhone customers were able to to around the login and use wifi as much as they wanted. A lot of people thought that this was why AT&T shut down free wifi in the first place, but I'm not so sure. I think that AT&T just poorly initiated their rollout of free.
 

daihard

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deftdrummer1,

You're probably right. I'm at BN now, and there's no iPhone specific login site. I tried using my cell number for user ID, but to no avail. Man, I'd have thought At&T would be better than that!
 

deftdrummer1

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Unfortunate for the moment. Especially for you, given that you can't take 10 steps without seeing a Starbucks in WA.
 

daihard

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deftdrummer1 said:
Unfortunate for the moment. Especially for you, given that you can't take 10 steps without seeing a Starbucks in WA.
You could even make that 5. :)

Well at least I can always use the 3G networks... :)
 

tonepod

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Galley said:
It's been free for AT&T DSL customers for many months.
So one could reckon that an AT&T DSL customer (i.e., customer subscribed to AT&T High Speed Internet service) should be able to access AT&T WiFi hotspots with an iPhone at no additional charge...no?
 

deftdrummer1

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supposedly it will happen, but AT&T has been saying that for the better part of a year now.
 

daihard

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tonepod said:
So one could reckon that an AT&T DSL customer (i.e., customer subscribed to AT&T High Speed Internet service) should be able to access AT&T WiFi hotspots with an iPhone at no additional charge...no?
That's exactly what I'd think, but AT&T seems to disagree. :shake:
 

Zimmy

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This is the oddest thing I have read for awhile.
Is it possible that an AT&T mobile customer wouldn't get AT&T wifi for free?
Heck, even T-Mobile does that, right?
 

Galley

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tonepod said:
So one could reckon that an AT&T DSL customer (i.e., customer subscribed to AT&T High Speed Internet service) should be able to access AT&T WiFi hotspots with an iPhone at no additional charge...no?
You can sign on to an AT&T Wi-Fi Hotspot using your DSL account info. I've used it at McDonald's. :)
 

tonepod

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daihard said:
That's exactly what I'd think, but AT&T seems to disagree. :shake:
Notwithstanding as to whether or not it can actually be done, AT&T stance makes little sense--I mean, the only general and obvious difference between a laptop and an iPhone accessing an AT&T WiFi spot is that one's a laptop and the other is a phone--other than that, both devices are attempting to access a WiFi hotspot using a WiFi connection. What is so inherently different between an iPhone in WiFi mode accessing an AT&T hotspot and a laptop attempting to do the same? If you have the proper login credentials, should it matter that you're using an iPhone instead of a laptop?

I would find it incredulous that AT&T won't allow iPhone users who have AT&T DSL accounts to have free access to AT&T WiFi locations that non-iPhone-using AT&T DSL customers have access to. :rolleyes:
 

azcoyote

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I stopped by my local Barnes & Noble here in Phoenix today and was able to access the AT&T WiFi hotspot with my iPhone 3G free of charge.
 

eye-Fone

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Free AT&T WiFi at SeaTac.

azcoyote said:
I stopped by my local Barnes & Noble here in Phoenix today and was able to access the AT&T WiFi hotspot with my iPhone 3G free of charge.
I was at SeaTac today (Seattle airport) and I successfully connected my iPhone 3G to the "attwifi" network (I think that was the access point name), free of charge. I surfed on it for a couple of hours. I wasn't by any Starbucks, evidently the airport (at least Concourse C, D, and the central food court) is using AT&T for their wireless hotspot service.
 

wineman3067

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In the last two weeks I have not been able to use attwifi spots at airports in Indianapolis, Detroit, and Albany or in Starbucks or Panera. The ATT store said I should be able to use them and to call in to get login info. When I called in the lady on the phone acted like I was nuts to even suggest such a thing and refered me to Apple's iPhone support number.

eye-Fone, what login info did you use to connect at Seattle airport? I've tried using my phone number and pword from the att website but no luck.
 

daihard

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wineman3067 said:
In the last two weeks I have not been able to use attwifi spots at airports in Indianapolis, Detroit, and Albany or in Starbucks or Panera. The ATT store said I should be able to use them and to call in to get login info. When I called in the lady on the phone acted like I was nuts to even suggest such a thing and refered me to Apple's iPhone support number.

eye-Fone, what login info did you use to connect at Seattle airport? I've tried using my phone number and pword from the att website but no luck.
I would like to know that, too. I've been trying to use the AT&T WiFi hotspots on various locations since some users told me here that they were able to access it. I've been out of luck myself. Starbucks, Barnes & Noble, and McDonald's... none of them have worked for me.
 

tonepod

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Unless things have changed recently, the only ways you can access an AT&T WiFi hotspot for free are:

1) If you are an existing AT&T DSL Internet subscriber (i.e., AT&T is your home/business ISP);
2) Whoever manages that particular hotspot decides to grant you free access.

Just owning an AT&T-purchased iPhone (and/or just being an AT&T Wireless customer) does not automatically afford you the ability to access AT&T's WiFi hotspots at no additional charge...at least not at this time.

Now if you are an AT&T DSL subscriber and yet you're unable to connect to AT&T WiFi spots...guess a call to customer/tech support would be in order.
 

n3tfury

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tonepod said:
Unless things have changed recently, the only ways you can access an AT&T WiFi hotspot for free are:

1) If you are an existing AT&T DSL Internet subscriber (i.e., AT&T is your home/business ISP);
2) Whoever manages that particular hotspot decides to grant you free access.

Just owning an AT&T-purchased iPhone (and/or just being an AT&T Wireless customer) does not automatically afford you the ability to access AT&T's WiFi hotspots at no additional charge...at least not at this time.

Now if you are an AT&T DSL subscriber and yet you're unable to connect to AT&T WiFi spots...guess a call to customer/tech support would be in order.
that's what i thought. sure wish they would though, thanks for the info.
 

daihard

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Seems like the policy does vary from place to place. I was able to access the AT&T WiFi network in the Philadelphia airport without supplying any login information. Just too bad most other places aren't like that. :(
 
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