Comments on: If Mobile Carriers Don't Address Demand for Wi-Fi, Ad-Supported Services Will

By: Finance Geek » Mobile operators get closer to their destiny as simple ISPs

Finance Geek » Mobile operators get closer to their destiny as simple ISPs — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:17:18 +0000

[...] If Mobile Carriers Don’t Address Demand for Wi-Fi, Ad-Supported Services Will (gigaom.com) [...]

By: Say Hello to Devicescape Wi-Fi for Nokia, Android

Say Hello to Devicescape Wi-Fi for Nokia, Android — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 22:52:21 +0000

[...] | 0 comments | 0 tweets retweet » Devicescape is hoping to meet smartphone users’ increasing demand for Wi-Fi access by broadening support for its Easy Wi-Fi Network to include Nokia and Android-based handsets [...]

By: Toby T

Toby T — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:11:14 +0000

The other day I noticed that Skype was offering me wi-fi access drawn from my Skype credit on a per minute basis, in a Nero coffee shop in London.

That is the kind of flexibility that I need.

By: Eric

Eric — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 06:39:06 +0000

I agree that the value of WiFi should be incorporated more into the strategy by mobile operators. There are too many vendors for WiFi service and unfortunately they do not provide universal access.

But my bet is that it would be easier to leverage the existing cellular infrastructure and find new ways to get not just business users but more consumers for that matter to have data plans/air cards, etc. Netbooks are a step in the right direction.

Now an ad-subsidy model might prove to be lucrative enough, but if Google offers it, the mobile operators don’t get anything – it would make more sense to see if mobile operators could get something nominal for supporting the infrastructure.

An alternative would be Embee Mobile where we already help lots of people fund their prepaid mobile account through advertising. It’s not far off to believe adding data plans to the list of products we can offer.

More info about our Facebook app: http://apps.facebook.com/mobilewallet?ref=23

By: Andy Abramson

Andy Abramson — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:03:03 +0000

Starbucks, and other coffee shops like Peets do provide free access. It’s all in how you use your Starbucks card (though they are changing the rule) and at Peets to ask for a code with purchase.

By: Lava

Lava — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:34:55 +0000

Funny how for all the crap AT&T gets, no one will sing praises for it’s WiFi service. They already have tens of thousands of wireless hotspots in the U.S. – free for iPhone and other smartphone users. And conveniently, they’re located at places one would likely find oneself at, like Starbucks and McDonalds. Definitely works well for me.

By: Nicholas

Nicholas — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:29:00 +0000

I have to say that I don’t understand why it has taken so long. One wonders why Starbuck’s for example cannot provide free access for a customer. Even a code as many coffee shops provide is acceptable. Some bizarre card is less so. But, ad supported access is great. I bet that Google will be the only one to do this unobtrusively and effortlessly.