How to locate free WiFi hotspots and save money

How to locate free WiFi hotspots and save money

Locating free WiFi hotspots can take a chunk off monthly phone bills and prove useful when trying to get online via a laptop or tablet device.

Yahoo has been outlining a range of ways to locate the closest free WiFi hotspot, from using Apple Store’s free network, to hooking up to a BT WiFi hotspot.

The quickest and most effective way of finding a hotspot is to use an app. For those using the iOS operating system, Wifi@ is recommended, largely due to the fact that it has an offline database – so users don’t need to be connected to the internet to use the service.

Alternatively mobile users can search for hotspots via the phone’s browser using the site myhotspots.co.uk, which lists hotspots by location to make the search easier.

Another good way of saving data is connecting to different high street networks. Most major high street brands, particularly cafés and restaurants like McDonalds or Starbucks, will allow customers free access while they eat.

Mobile phone contracts often come with a WiFi allowance, which means that the user can connect to their network’s WiFi hotspots across the country. This accessibility varies from network to network, so it could be worth finding out which network has the most hotspots in an area before choosing one.

For those who only need to use the internet briefly, paid WiFi subscription services sometimes offer freebies. Services such as Boingo offer users 15 minutes’ free usage when they sign up, for example.

Failing all of these options, it may become necessary to invest in a pay-as-you-go WiFi service. Remember, it is often better to go with globally recognised names than pay a number of smaller providers.

Meanwhile, WiFi usage is set to soar over the next few years, largely due to the introduction of a new technology known as Hotspot2. This permits automated authentication, providing secure access and seamless transition between mobile and WiFi networks.

Published On: June 1, 2013/By /Categories: Remote Working, Tips and Tricks/
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