By Sage McHugh on May 23, 2012 in
Five of the largest cable companies have teamed up to create a single, high-capacity Wi-Fi network with more than 50,000 hotspots across the country. If you're a customer of Comcast, Time Warner, Cablevision, Bright House or Cox, you can access free Wi-Fi hotspots through any of these providers. The launch of this service, dubbed "CableWiFi," was announced on Monday at the National Cable and Telecommunications Association's Cable Show in Boston, Mass.
In an effort to compete with mobile and satellite companies, cable suppliers hope a vast Wi-Fi network will lure new customers and help retain their current subscribers. The bulk of the hotspots are currently located in New York City and the surrounding tri-state area, Philadelphia, Tampa, Orlando and Los Angeles. However, cable companies plan to expand their territory over time.
How does it work?
A website called "CableWiFi.com" will allow customers to log-in using the security credentials for their cable service provider. They can then gain access to Wi-Fi hotspots where available.
What are the advantages?
- You can lay off your phone's data network and save money. If you've experienced bill shock in the past, switching to free Wi-Fi will help you avoid overage charges and bandwidth caps; you can even text via Wi-Fi with these apps.
- This summer the Wi-Fi Alliance is offering a new service called Passpoint, which will allow carriers to automatically switch customers to Wi-Fi hotspots in congested areas, without requiring them to log in. That kind of convenience may give cable companies the edge on cellular providers.
- One thing is for sure: The cable conglomerate -- promising 50,000 hotspots -- will far surpass mobile carriers in sheer number of hotspots. AT&T currently has about 29,000 Wi-Fi hotspots, while Verizon offers approximately 5,000 locations.
For more information about these internet, cable and phone service providers consult our reports on VoIP services and ISPs.
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