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The Return of Free Internet

Posted by timothy on from the probably-browser-limited dept.

valdean writes "Remember the days of ad-supported dial-up Internet access from the likes of Netzero and Altavista Free Access? Those days, and the business model that supplied them, are long gone... or perhaps not. A new effort is being explored by California-based FreeFi Networks. Last week, the company launched what will be a nationwide network of ad-supported wi-fi hotspots. Ads will appear in what FreeFi calls a "narrow, persistent band of content" across the bottom of the user's screen. To provide incentive to America's coffee shops, they'll share advertising revenues with the hosting venue. Has 'free Internet access' finally arrived?"

11 of 260 comments (clear)

  1. Return? Feh - it never left. by bobdotorg · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I'm surfing _right now_ on an open connection in the next apartment building.

    In the past year, when on the road, It's never taken more than a few minutes of walking / wardriving through a strip mall or retail street to get a connection.

    While this service certainly has some value to me as a last resort, I wonder how many non /.'ers are aware of the free internet around them.

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    __ Someday, but not this morning, I'll finally learn to use the preview button.
  2. insulating tape by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'm getting the old insulating tape ready to cover the
    ' narrow, persistent band of content" across the bottom of'
    my screen

  3. hotspots? by spankey51 · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Last week, the company launched what will be a nationwide network of ad-supported wi-fi hotspots."
    Note: All hotspots will occur exclusively at starbucks coffee shops. Considerations are underway to expand to McDonalds and Walmarts near you!

    --
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  4. How? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    How will it manage to accomplish this? browsing inside of an activeX window? will it proxy everywhere you go with a frame on the bottom of every page ala google images? And if so, how long till this gets cracked?

  5. Depends on where you live by trifish · · Score: 5, Informative

    Has 'free Internet access' finally arrived?

    Here where I live (EU, Czech Republic), we have had companies offering free access to internet for free for many many years. So your question should be rephrased to "Has 'free Internet access' finally arrived in the US?"

  6. Ad-blocking technology may kill it by CdBee · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Pay-to-surf was a British attempt to pay people to watch advertising online - it failed, partly because a lot of users found a way to move the advertising off-screen using virtual desktops

    Now we are in the age of pop-up blocking and adblock, a few REGEXP filters and a bit of custom config will probably let a lot of users very easily remove the advertising content... unless, that is, they intend to use a dedicated client instead of open standards for their wifi hotspots, in which case mac and linux laptops probably won't work with it anyway.

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  7. Will it be available for non-Windows users? by GraemeDonaldson · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Both TFA and the FreeFi site don't mention OS requirements. The FreeFi site has a screenshot of their "toolbar" (the thing with the constant streaming ads) running on XP. What are the chances it'll be available for non-Windows people too?

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    I think, therefore I am. I think?
  8. Whap happens when... by ET_Fleshy · · Score: 5, Informative
    From TFA:
    The FreeFi Toolbar provides a persistent presence on the user's desktop only while logged into an affliated public hotspot and is entirely removed when they log out. IT USES NO ADWARE OR SPYWARE. The Toolbar displays useful content including local directory services, downloadable games, premium media content and display advertising.
    I'm wondering how the adbar is displayed on your computer. It sounds to me like the user does not have to install anything on their computer, but I highly doubt that. If nothing really is required to be installed on the users computer, firefox will take care of that real quick, both adblock and the ability to modify the base CSS style will quickly solve that problem. However, if the user is forced to install "non adware and/or spyware" to use their service, Privoxy I would think should be able to disable it. Either way I wouldn't mind seeing this spring up around the country.
  9. Displays ads? by rookworm · · Score: 5, Funny
    The company said that the content bar does not involve adware or spyware.

    I'd like to hear their definition of adware.

    --
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  10. Better analogy by NerdConspiracy · · Score: 5, Insightful


    Has 'free Internet access' finally arrived?

    We have had telephone network access for about a centutry now.

    It has never been free.

    Why should Internet access be?
    We have had television network access for half a century now.

    It has always been free (well at least some of it).

    Why shouldn't Internet access be?

  11. Heh... by 404notfound · · Score: 5, Informative

    I remember using NetZero before, and I did something (what, exactly, escapes me) where I popped open taskman and hit 'end task' at a specific point during connection -- or something -- which allowed me to have free internet access without any ads. It worked great for fullscreen activities like Diablo 1 and Starcraft (shows you how long ago I was pulling the trick).