I saw that Verizion has started offering free wifi hotspot access to certain dsl and fios customers. When I went to sign up, it looks like they say it will work on a PC only, no mobile handsets...but since they are using Boingo hotspots, and Boingo has an app for the NIT's I was thinking I should be able to get it to work.

Has anyone else seen this and tried it with their tablet? I'd just try it myself, but signing up has so far proven difficult, probably because my DSL account is technically a business account (got to love NYC zoning laws). Not sure I want to spend the hours on the phone to get activated, only to find out that I have no use for it.

I have FIOS and want to try this-- just need more info. I already have a paid Boingo account so I'm curious as to how I would benefit...

Hmm..I have Verizon DSL at home. I'll try it out. But anyplace for instructions. E.g. install Boingo on tablet, then what? How do I sync up the Verizon and Boingo accounts?

THAT is the question.

Doing so may not be possible. Verizon's WiFi deal may require 32-bit Windows software. Please see the article, "Verizon Offers Boingo Wi-Fi — Macs Need Not Apply", and its comments.

It's been many years since I had Verizon DSL*, so I can't check.


* Best if I don't go into that. Long story. And off-topic.

The DSL Reports thread on this has a guy who tried to download the app for the N810, but couldn't get it to work.

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r22774698-Re-wow

I was really hoping that you'd just be able to enter your Verizon credentials into the Boingo app and have everything work. Seems kind of crazy that they are going to the trouble of creating a separate application for Verizon customers, and then limiting it only to PCs...but then a lot of what Verizon does doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

Yuck. That's stupid, oh well hopefully it'll work with Vista as well as Wine in Ubuntu.

Actually... it does make sense, and it's the other shoe I've been waiting to see drop.

It makes sense from Verizon's standpoint. This way there's no real impact on their cellular business. You'll have to lug a laptop to make use of the service.

Oh boy. I need to follow-up my article on this...

I can see this, but why not have an app for Macs or Linux? Is it because the way to make a universal app, means that it would be much easier to get it onto mobile handsets? And the logic of not allowing it on mobiles doesn't make all that much sense. Quite a few Verizon broadband customers are not also Verizon Wireless customers (and aren't the businesses technically separate anyway? Does Vodaphone still own a major stake in Verizon Wireless?) Anyway, seems that by providing free wifi you could be stealing 3G wireless business away from some of your competitors.

I'm obviously not thinking this through very clearly, and I'm sure from a business standpoint it makes sense for Verizon...but I'm really getting tired of this closed approach in the wireless world.

Ok, I agree regarding laptop/desktop OS-- that shouldn't matter to Verizon, unless it's a bang-for-the-buck issue. And even that could be more perceptual than factual.