whatsupdoc Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 Hi, What are peoples' experiences of using FON hotspots abroad? I've read that people have had problems with their btfon login, but I am not with BT, and so would have a native fon login. Just wondered if it would be worth the outlay ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 Don't bank on it working! The only hotspots I have ever managed to access abroad are at tourist info offices or McDonalds!! And I am a BT Internet customer - but probably not for much longer! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bolero boy Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 Tracker - 2013-01-23 6:53 PM And I am a BT Internet customer - but probably not for much longer! ....Rich, what problems are you having with BT? I am thinking of switching to them from Orange as they have sent me a good offer and I was hoping to get a wi-fi extender aeriel and use the Fon B-) in UK and (hopefully) in EU. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whatsupdoc Posted January 23, 2013 Author Share Posted January 23, 2013 Tracker - 2013-01-23 6:53 PM Don't bank on it working! The only hotspots I have ever managed to access abroad are at tourist info offices or McDonalds!! And I am a BT Internet customer - but probably not for much longer! Were you able to login? There's a fair bit of reporting that says that bt customers often can't login on networks abroad (but I'm not sure if a native fon login would succeed). Or was it just a poor connection? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 Often picked up a strong signal but never managed to login as it never accepts my login codes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whatsupdoc Posted January 23, 2013 Author Share Posted January 23, 2013 Tracker - 2013-01-23 7:03 PM Often picked up a strong signal but never managed to login as it never accepts my login codes. Yes a lot of people have reported problems with their bt login. Does anyone have a (non-bt) fon account? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ham Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 I have a Bt Infinity account. I also use an aerial extender and get no problems using BT Fon in the uk. I also use my Blackberry to connect to Bt fon. Out in euro land it can be a bit hit and miss this is down to the third party supplier of the link, but using my aerial hich I put up as high as possible works great allowing me to connect to signals stronger than the assign Fon Link.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barryd999 Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 Its rubbish abroad. A wifi antenna is useful though but dont count on it for Fon. Its a pity that the likes of BT dont hookup with the likes of SFR in France and the other big telecomms providers in Italy, Germany as they have similar setups to BT Openzone. If they allowed their users to use our BT Openzone and vice versa all our internet problems would be solved. The infastructure is there, we just need to be able to use it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 Just had a thought. Will reception get even worse on the continent when we've left the EU ? 8-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whatsupdoc Posted January 23, 2013 Author Share Posted January 23, 2013 Barryd999 - 2013-01-23 8:22 PM Its rubbish abroad. A wifi antenna is useful though but dont count on it for Fon. Its a pity that the likes of BT dont hookup with the likes of SFR in France and the other big telecomms providers in Italy, Germany as they have similar setups to BT Openzone. If they allowed their users to use our BT Openzone and vice versa all our internet problems would be solved. The infastructure is there, we just need to be able to use it. SFT have the same relationship with Fon as BT - so things shold already work ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Addie Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 The FON maps do give a good indication on where the hotspots are available, but I would say with the exception of Portugal they are not as prevalent as they are in the UK. http://maps.fon.com Portugal's provider, Zon, has a similar setup to BT in that customers are "opted in" automatically if they use their ISP's supplied hardware - which leads to much better coverage: http://www.zon.pt/net/wifi-gratis/Pages/Mapas-ZON@Fon.aspx SFR in France has recently become a FON partner, but unfortunately their system is the reverse of Portugal, whereby customers need to "opt it" to become part of the network - hence the comparatively sparse coverage. If you are a BT customer and have trouble logging in using your @btinternet.com credentials, it's worth making a call to BT. As FON is a co-operative if your details are not correctly registered (or you have opted out of being a FON partner) then you are unable to use other FON hotspots in return. The FON boxes are just £34 delivered, we can offer our customers a 20% voucher bringing that down to a shade over £27. Great for the UK - but their availability abroad depends largely on where you find yourself as to how often you can use it and if that initial one off outlay constitutes value for money. As with anything WiFi related over which you have no control over the "other end", while a booster certainly helps, so does a bit of luck and good positioning both of your vehicle and of the router in question. Not every FON subscriber is as thoughtful as to position their FON box on their window ledge! Adam http://www.motorhomewifi.com http://www.europebycamper.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whatsupdoc Posted January 23, 2013 Author Share Posted January 23, 2013 Addie - 2013-01-23 8:51 PM The FON maps do give a good indication on where the hotspots are available, but I would say with the exception of Portugal they are not as prevalent as they are in the UK. http://maps.fon.com Portugal's provider, Zon, has a similar setup to BT in that customers are "opted in" automatically if they use their ISP's supplied hardware - which leads to much better coverage: http://www.zon.pt/net/wifi-gratis/Pages/Mapas-ZON@Fon.aspx SFR in France has recently become a FON partner, but unfortunately their system is the reverse of Portugal, whereby customers need to "opt it" to become part of the network - hence the comparatively sparse coverage. If you are a BT customer and have trouble logging in using your @btinternet.com credentials, it's worth making a call to BT. As FON is a co-operative if your details are not correctly registered (or you have opted out of being a FON partner) then you are unable to use other FON hotspots in return. The FON boxes are just £34 delivered, we can offer our customers a 20% voucher bringing that down to a shade over £27. Great for the UK - but their availability abroad depends largely on where you find yourself as to how often you can use it and if that initial one off outlay constitutes value for money. As with anything WiFi related over which you have no control over the "other end", while a booster certainly helps, so does a bit of luck and good positioning both of your vehicle and of the router in question. Not every FON subscriber is as thoughtful as to position their FON box on their window ledge! Adam http://www.motorhomewifi.com http://www.europebycamper.com Thanks for the info. Adam. How do we get the 20% voucher? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gocro Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 I was able to log on and smurf in the large shopping centre opposite the science and technology exhibition building in Valencia ,January this year no problem,My was I surprised! It's my ma-in-laws account. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ham Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 Why do you need a fon box?. If you are a Bt customer and opted into BT fon then you do not need one as they set it up on your existing router . My Bt infinity router can be seen by any BT customer in range If they have thier WI Fi turned on Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whatsupdoc Posted January 24, 2013 Author Share Posted January 24, 2013 ham - 2013-01-24 12:25 PM Why do you need a fon box?. If you are a Bt customer and opted into BT fon then you do not need one as they set it up on your existing router . My Bt infinity router can be seen by any BT customer in range If they have thier WI Fi turned on No - not a bt customer. (Still waiting for Adam to respond to the 20% voucher for the fon box ...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ham Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 The logon details to Bt Fon are your account email. unless its recently changed no account no access http://www.btfon.com/ for none Bt customers http://www.bt.broadbanddongle.org.uk/bt-fon.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barryd999 Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 whatsupdoc - 2013-01-23 8:51 PM Barryd999 - 2013-01-23 8:22 PM Its rubbish abroad. A wifi antenna is useful though but dont count on it for Fon. Its a pity that the likes of BT dont hookup with the likes of SFR in France and the other big telecomms providers in Italy, Germany as they have similar setups to BT Openzone. If they allowed their users to use our BT Openzone and vice versa all our internet problems would be solved. The infastructure is there, we just need to be able to use it. SFT have the same relationship with Fon as BT - so things shold already work ... Yes but as Addie mentions the customers over there have to opt in. They wont bother. I do wonder though if anyone has managed to succesfully login to an SFR FON spot using thier BT Openzone login. It would be a step forward. My antenna was from www.motorhomewifi.com by the way. I cant recommend them enough. With a bit of work and tuning I can usually get online fairly easily in most places abroad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest peter Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 bolero boy - 2013-01-23 6:57 PM Tracker - 2013-01-23 6:53 PM And I am a BT Internet customer - but probably not for much longer! ....Rich, what problems are you having with BT? I am thinking of switching to them from Orange as they have sent me a good offer and I was hoping to get a wi-fi extender aeriel and use the Fon B-) in UK and (hopefully) in EU.Nothing inherrently wrong with BT as long as your local exchange has a reasonable speed potential and this would apply to all other phone line based internet as well. We use BT and it is very good, if a bit pricey for the package we have, but as my wife needs it for work we just pay it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sshortcircuit Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 Slightly concerned with the comments regarding reception in France but will just have to find out when I am over later this year. Looked at the FON map and should be OK to pick up reception although a bit concerned with the difficulties in logging in. I would be interested to find out what range the FON boxes have as I would dread to think of a line of MHs parked outside the front door just to get a signal. I have gone partly down the route promoted by Adam in the I purchased a directional aerial from one source and as I subsequently wished to connect my iPad, the router from Adam. These are working together very well and at the moment this is being transmitted via a BT hotspot down the road, so not off my broadband usage(tight fisted Scot). I have no regrets about the purchases I have made but had I taken more time I could have achieved the same result for about 25% of the cost but you do have to be able to potter about Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia Posted April 20, 2013 Share Posted April 20, 2013 I use Orange in France and I believe I can become a host hot spot. I don't think I will have many takers though as I am in the wilds but I wondered how my security would be protected? It must work like the BT FON I imagine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowie Posted April 20, 2013 Share Posted April 20, 2013 sshortcircuit - 2013-01-24 9:37 PM Looked at the FON map and should be OK to pick up reception although a bit concerned with the difficulties in logging in. As I see it, it's a chicken and egg situation. Need a wifi connection to access the map to find a good location to get a signal so you can see the map di dah di dah!! Must be a way? alan b Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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