BT Fon

[cookie_monster]

I noticed this on my BT broadband account ealier, i've never seen or used it. Anyone using it that can tell me what it's all about??? It looks like other people nearby can use my home hub and i can use theirs.

 

https://www.bt.com/wifi/secure/index.do?s_cid=con_FURL_btfon

[Jeremy69]

I think that you opt into it. The plus for you is that you can access wireless hotspots run by BT (in hotels etc) and also share the bandwidth of other people's hubs if thet have also signed up. They in turn can also share your bandwidth.

My belief is that you opt in rather than it being a default.

[plexer]

From the middle of March ‘09 all new BT Total Broadband customers will be automatically opted into BT FON meaning you can use your Wi-Fi minutes as soon as your Broadband is set up.

 

You may be allready opted in.

 

It's a seperate ssid on the wirless router and if you have a bt broadband account and signed up for Fon or got opted in after the date above then you can access the fon service on other peoples wireless routers as well.

 

Ben

[Geoff]

This was covered by El'Reg when it was released.

 

BT reprograms biz customers as hotspots • The Register

 

The scheme is opt out, rather than opt in.

[cookie_monster]

I am opted in so i was wondering weather or not to opt out. I think i'll leave it for now and see if it's any use to me while out and about.

[Martin]

So you are happy for anonymous users to access your wireless access point, use your bandwidth, on your equipment powered by electricity that you pay for - unless you specifically opt-out?

 

Read some of the comments on the El Reg article for some points to ponder.

 

...and how would you feel if somebody was accessing illegal content via your broadband? It may be via a separate secure channel, but i am sure that the police would still take a close interest!!

 

mb

[localzuk]

So you are happy for anonymous users to access your wireless access point, use your bandwidth, on your equipment powered by electricity that you pay for - unless you specifically opt-out?

 

Read some of the comments on the El Reg article for some points to ponder.

 

...and how would you feel if somebody was accessing illegal content via your broadband? It may be via a separate secure channel, but i am sure that the police would still take a close interest!!

 

mb

 

Yes, yes and yes. Because when I'm out and about, I can use other people's wireless access points, use their bandwidth on their equipment powered by electricity that they pay for. It's called 'sharing'.

 

The BT fon network is not a 'secure channel' it is a seperate network. You have no control over it, other than opting in to the scheme or not. BT control the network, and as such it is their responsibility.

[cookie_monster]

I had a read online and all of your traffic gets priority and any of the traffic on the unsecured 'seperate' network is tagged so doesn't affect your bandwidth or your download limits.

[CHR1S]

I think its a great idea, if run properly (sniggers BT...)

[ascott2]

I am opted in. It is a completely separate VLAN which gives around 512kb of your '8Mb' speeds. I don't know if this is realtional to your actual speeds but your own traffic does get priority. So my house now broadcasts as BT Openzone as well as my own private "secure" wireless. Handy if you're out and about as you can use others for free, if you are opted in.

 

BTW I have noticed, since joining BT Vision my speed has miraculously increased to near on 8Mb. Previously getting 4-6 on a good day. Just an observation

[plexer]

To use the fon service I presume you have to provide your bt login credentials so anything you do using someone elses fon can be nailed down to you.

 

Ben

[ascott2]

To use the fon service I presume you have to provide your bt login credentials so anything you do using someone elses fon can be nailed down to you.

 

Ben

 

Yes to get free access, or pay for it with a credit card.

[cookie_monster]

Some info on privacy from BT

 

How secure is the BT FON service?

 

It is extremely secure. Traffic passes through separate channels; visitor and home-user traffic are separated. From a security perspective it is as if they have separate networks connecting them to the Internet. This ensures that visitors cannot use BT FON to connect directly to the customer’s own network (or vice versa). It also means that all visitor Internet activity and customer Internet activity on the home hub is clearly distinguished and recorded against the correct user. This ensures that home users cannot be blamed for the Internet activities of visitor on their BT FON home hub hotspot.

 

What happens if someone uses my broadband connection to access an illegal site? Can I prove that it wasn't me accessing the sites?

 

Yes, the visitor’s access to the Internet will be through a separate channel and so we can tell the difference between the home user’s Internet activity and visitor Internet activity.