Tomizone tempts iPhone owners with free Wi-Fi

by Stephen Withers

Friday, 04 July 2008

Page 1 of 2 ! So you buy an iPhone but you've already used your monthly data allowance and your carrier doesn't have a nearby hotspot. For three months beginning with the July 11 arrival of the iPhone 3G, Tomizone is offering free Internet access through its network of Wi-Fi hotspots. But where are they? While most hotspots in Australia are tied to a particular carrier such as Telstra or Optus, operated by a provider such as Azure, or are isolated facilities provided by cafe owners or similar businesses, Tomizone is a network of privately owned hotspots with a shared access control and billing back end. While this is a nice offer, the big question for any iPhone or iPod Touch user wanting to give the free Wi-Fi service a go is whether or not there are any Tomizone hotspots where you need them. To find out, check the company's hotspot locator. In Australia, most are clustered around Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide, with a few in surrounding regional centres. The free offer - limited to 500M of data per user - also extends to iPod touch owners. Tomizone's CEO Steve Simms believes providing Wi-Fi access to iPhone and iPod touch users will give businesses such as hotels, cafes and coffee shops a way to attract new customers. "Smart business operators can differentiate themselves from their competitors by helping customers to take full advantage of the powerful new features being offered in the iPhones," he said. If you're familiar with the acronym TANSTAAFL (there's ain't not such thing as a free lunch), you'll be wondering what the catch is. There is one - but probably not what you're expecting. Please read on to find out who picks up the tab. << First page <   1 2 Next page > Last page - Post your comment >>

 

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