This week we’ve been looking at the perils of hopping online using Wi-Fi hotspots. These public access points might seem convenient, but we’ve had readers complaining of slow, expensive and awkward surfing.
After pulling together all the stats, juggling the pricing details and speaking to people in the know, we’ve picked our Wi-Fi hotspot choice. If you need wireless access on the go, and don’t fancy mobile broadband, jump in now and we’ll tell you our top choice.
We put BT Openzone, FON, T-Mobile and The Cloud up against each other to see just which one comes out on top. And after carefully consideration, we reckon The Cloud is your best bet when it comes to Wi-Fi hotspots. Its service is cheap, sometimes free and offers great value to boot. What’s more, the company was the most open with us when we asked about capacity behind the scenes, pledging connections up to 100Mbps in busy locations, as well as a minimum speed of 2Mbps to single hotspots.
For £6.99 a month you can get web access on one device at all The Cloud’s hotspots. For a penny shy of a tenner, you can access the web on as many devices as you like at all of its access points.
That isn’t to say The Cloud is perfect. It’s admitted to us that speeds in some areas can be lower than in its busy city centre hotspots. But with free web at McDonalds and Pret, as well as a massive 40GB monthly data limit that outstrips all of its rivals, we’re confident in pronouncing it the better overall package.
Wi-Fi hotspots: Slow speeds hiding behind the scenes
While BT FON’s hourly rate of £3 is a steal, it’s hamstrung by 512Kbps speeds, which just aren’t up to scratch when it comes to checking out videos, listening to Spotify or even sending hefty e-mail attachments.
Likewise BT Openzone’s £5 a month offer for 500 minutes access is affordable. But the complaints about the service we’ve received, plus our own experiences using it across London leave a lot to be desired, even considering we’re in the midst of its self-branded “wireless city”. While you can get free access out and about if you have BT Broadband at home, the 3GB limit just doesn’t cut it. Start streaming sounds, and you’ll gobble that up in days, not weeks. That said, it’s good to hear that BT is working on upgrades, boosting its basic speeds to 20Mbps.
But T-Mobile’s sluggish 4.5Mbps offer, albeit with 30GB data limit, really falls behind. The fact it’s on T-Mobile’s 3G network means there’s a good case for arguing a T-Mobile dongle would be a bettter choice than signing up for its hotspot service.
And that’s where the biggest problem with Wi-Fi hotspots lies. As mobile broadband and 3G access become more ubiquitous, the question has to be asked: unless they’re chucked in free with your coffee, or ladled out gratis with a cheeseburger and fries, are hotspots are really worth it at all?
What do you make of our choice? Have you seen a provider bettering the The Cloud’s value, speed and reliability? Tell us now.
