We consider cable’s local WiFi initiatives to be nothing more than a marketing stunt.
–Verizon spokesperson Rich Young, Feb. 28, 2009
Looks like AT&T (T) and Cablevision’s decision to offer free WiFi to their subscribers has gotten a competitive rise out of Verizon (VZ), which just a few months ago was dismissing such efforts as “marketing stunts.” The Wall Street Journal reports that Verizon plans to offer its subscribers free Wi-Fi hotspot access via a partnership with Boingo Wireless. Discussions between the two companies are still progressing, but a deal is expected sometime soon with service debuting this summer — perhaps in preparation for the launch of that media tablet Verizon’s rumored to be talking to Apple (AAPL) about.
Talk about catch-22… I’m a few hundred feet from a hot-spot, in fact they interfere with my own wifi network sometimes. I’ll now be able to use it for “free”, if I keep my DSL service.
If this goes through though I mostly certainly will be carrying a wifi device with me around the city.
John Paczkowski has been poking fun at the tech industry and the personalities that drive it since 1997. From 1999 to 2007, he wrote the award-winning tech news Web log Good Morning Silicon Valley for the San Jose Mercury News, Silicon Valley's daily newspaper.
Here is a statement of my ethics and coverage policies. It is more than most of you want to know, but, in the age of suspicion of the media, I am laying it all out.
Looks like AT&T (T) and Cablevision’s decision to offer free WiFi to their subscribers has gotten a competitive rise out of Verizon (VZ), which just a few months ago was dismissing such efforts as “marketing stunts.” The Wall Street Journal reports that Verizon plans to offer its subscribers free Wi-Fi hotspot access via a partnership with Boingo Wireless. Discussions between the two companies are still progressing, but a deal is expected sometime soon with service debuting this summer — perhaps in preparation for the launch of that media tablet Verizon’s rumored to be talking to Apple (AAPL) about.
Comments
Talk about catch-22… I’m a few hundred feet from a hot-spot, in fact they interfere with my own wifi network sometimes. I’ll now be able to use it for “free”, if I keep my DSL service.
If this goes through though I mostly certainly will be carrying a wifi device with me around the city.
Posted by Mac Beach at May 1st, 2009 at 6:42 pm