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Did AT&T yank free Wi-Fi for iPhone users?
July 18th, 2008, 9:17 am · Post a Comment · posted by Gadgetress
** UPDATE posted below in bold **
One minute, an AT&T page touting free Wi-Fi for all iPhone users is on the site, the next minute, the link goes to an error page. What gives?
I spotted the freebie on Wired this morning. I initially wrote: iPhone users may be paying more per month for their new Apple toy, but at least AT&T is now offering Wi-Fi for free at more than 17,000 locations in the United States. Says the AT&T Wi-Fi page:
“AT&T knows Wi-Fi is hot, and free Wi-Fi even hotter, which is why we are proud to offer iPhone customers free access to the nation’s largest Wi-Fi hotspot network with more than 17,000 hotspots, including Starbucks*.”
(The asterisk refers to company-owned Starbucks stores.)
But just before I published the post, I thought I’d check again. Wham! Error! Wired mentioned AT&T’s past flip-flopping on offering free Wi-Fi to iPhone users. Looks like they’re at it again. Or, more likely, we’ve caught them before they announced the service. Here’s Google’s cache of the site and I’ve copied the page as a PDF as well.
**Update** Yes, AT&T yanked the freebie, according to Wired and a response I received from AT&T. Says Geoff Mordock, “We have not made any announcement regarding free Wi-Fi and iPhone. The webpage was posted in error and has since been removed.” But I bet it’s coming soon. **
As for other AT&T wireless customers? You can still sign up for free Wi-Fi at Starbucks if you join the coffee chain’s rewards card program, maintain a balance and buy an item monthly. Details HERE.
Or check out the WiFiFreespot.com to find where free Wi-Fi hotspots exist.
Related iPhone savings tips:
- 6 ways to win a free iPhone
- iPhone snafu means $8.25 worth of MobileMe for some
- 5 ways to save money on the new iPhone
- Free Wi-Fi at Starbucks — with restrictions
- Freebies for Mac and iPhone fans
