When journalists ask me why is it that I am building FON my answer is simple. To enjoy a global wifi roaming network and, if I can, to make money in the process. ¿Why do people join FON? Basically for the same reason. To have wifi roaming and, if they can, to make money in the process.

Now, what is so original about FON? It´s not the idea, hotspots as wifi payphones were invented the minute 802.11 was defined. What´s original about FON is that our software is downloaded from the net into people´s wifi access points thereby turning their own access points into members of a global wifi network. Boingo, The Cloud, Telekom, Swisscom with Eurospot or Telefonica have all built separate wifi networks to sell hotspot services. FON turns every citizen into a hotspot provider. Once they do this, they can either be Bills and charge for their wifi or Linuses and not charge but get free roaming priviledges.

Follow Martin Varsavsky on Twitter: twitter.com/martinvars

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isaac b on November 24, 2005  · 

Question from a future fonero/bill,

Once the aliens access the hotspot, they wil find the FON interface on the first place, All is clear up to this point.

It would be really interesting to be able to impulse local bussiness from hotspots interfaces, In a few words, if I have an online mag covering services in a particular area… as Real State or just an online Mag…

Could I advertise on the FON interface locally? … So local visitors have access to my network, directly from the interface. apart from being able to get online on FON’s network.

This is an advantage for foneros that are bar owners or restaurants or clubs, since they will making money with the hotspot as well as redirecting traffic to their local shops or bussiness.

If a Linus access the network and he is on a holiday trip, I can offer services to them as rent a car rent a house or whatever mi biz is, Town Halls would be able to post there local info, for example turist information, and Linus will have direct access to Local info right away, direct from the hotspot, FONSPOT!

This will help to generate synergies with local administrations, since FON is offering a new display for them.

Example, I travel to Tarifa during the summer, I detect a wifi feed on my computer, when I get to the interface before entering to the internet I can see directly on the interface local info such us hotels, bars, etc…

If I am a Linus I am sorted, I just access the local info.

If I am an Alien I pay.. and go!

Internet access plus local info, fresh and funky!!

This will help potential foneros as well to join the FON network, since joining fon it comes with an added value no just the income from the Fonspot!


3.0 rating

john on November 25, 2005  · 

One question: FON currently merely exists by the grace of Linksys. Nobody at Linksys was able to give me context on the “FON ready” logo you are using, actually no one at Linksys knows about FON, not here in Brazil and not at HQ.
I think/hope you are aware Linksys is currently upgrading their *nix based WRT’s with VxWorks (that is WRT54Gx with v5.x firmware)… which isn’t that flexible and basically doesn’t allow flashing FON on the router.

And then….

3.0 rating

teo on November 25, 2005  · 

We are aware of that. FON, at this moment, only works in Linksys hardware, but that’s only the first step. We plan to port our software to a lot of platforms and even creating our own cheaper access point.

Anyway, in Europe Linksys is selling this WRT54G*L* router, which is again Linux compatible.

3.0 rating

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