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Free Wi-Fi Coming To Japanese Vending Machines

Posted by samzenpus on from the exact-change-only dept.

cylonlover writes "Free Wi-Fi is on its way to some Japanese vending machines. Working much like a mobile hotspot at your local coffee shop, people located near the machines would be able to connect to the internet for 30 minutes at a time and surf the web. The service is available to anyone, to use with any smartphone, tablet, or computer and does not require the purchase of a drink from the machine."

6 of 81 comments (clear)

  1. Excellent Idea by InterestingFella · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Wi-Fi coverage is hindered by the fact that people have tried to explicitly set up Wi-Fi networks. This only makes it economical if users are charged for access and even then limits the availability to highly populated areas. But there's vending machines in many places - just throw in Wi-Fi hotspot in them and eventually you will get huge coverage and the costs are subsidized in the vending machine buying/renting price. If you need to make money on top of that, throwing in an ad or two should do the trick and keep the service free for anyone.

    1. Re:Excellent Idea by SomePgmr · · Score: 4, Funny

      If you need to make money on top of that, throwing in an ad or two should do the trick and keep the service free for anyone.

      The required proximity, ToS page and an SSID of "PEPSICOLA" for the AP in the Pepsi machine should do it. ;)

    2. Re:Excellent Idea by DMoylan · · Score: 4, Funny

      screw that. it could reduce the repair costs on vending machines when if the machine is attacked for swallowing money it turns off the wifi (a pinball tilt switch should do). angry nerds will rush to defend the vending machine to get their wifi back.

  2. Free wifi or Japanese "free" wifi? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

    There's a ton of "free" wifi services available in Japan, where "free" means that if you're subscribed to some service you pay for (mobile phone, home internet and what not) and are getting the wifi as a "free" add-on in the package. So, one can see tons of hotspots everywhere, but if trying to use any those requires an ID (or, very rarely, some payment). Somehow I think this will turn out to be one of those services, and not the really free free wi-fi.

  3. Phone booths by arose · · Score: 4, Interesting

    The former telco monopoly in Latvia uses phone-booths. It's just about the perfect solution to both wi-fi coverage and public phone disuse, I'm surprised I haven't seen it anywhere else.

    --
    Analogies don't equal equalities, they are merely somewhat analogous.
  4. Re:Isn't this need slowly disappearing? by Osgeld · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Why would I need to have an expensive overcrowded spotty 3/4G coverage when there are hotspots every block?