Brithish Telecom has signed a deal with FON in order to flash all BT routers in the UK with the FON software. This software allows the bandwidth of an ADSL connection to be shared via WiFi with people that is not the ADSL subscriber.
You can join FON for free, activate their software in your router and then share your ADSL connection. Then, you will be able to attach other access points of the FON network. This way, FON aims to create the world’s largest WiFi network, thus providing global coverage and trying to take up the position of mobile carries providing connectivity.
But, the problem FON was facing to reach its goal was capilarity. While they had a lot of points of access all over the world, more than any other wireless network, they had not good coverage in any certain area, and so, they can not offer a good ‘connectivity’ on the move.
In order to solve this problem, FON starts to negotiate with ADSL providers trying to persuade them to include FON’s software in their client’s routers, but not many carriers were receptive to such an idea. At the same time, following a similar strategy, FON has collaborated with councils trying to cover complete small/medium size cities.
And, finally…. Martin Varsavsky seems to have achived his objective. At least, this is a great step forward. With the current deal, BT and FON have created the world’s largest WiFi community, counting with BT’s ADSL subscribers and the Wi-Fi Openzone access points network, that includes 12 ‘Wireless Cities’, all in UK, in addition to the current FON subscribers.
The deal with BT in UK, and the former deal with Neuf in France, could be the definite backing for FON in its idea to provide a global WiFi coverage. And if you are a member of the FON community, just for free.
Via MartinVarsavsKy
Link BTFON
