Unlimited wifi access?

[Chinajan]

This is probably blindingly obvious but I'm a technophobe. :( I am belatedly about to enter the 21st Century and get a laptop and wireless connection. Now, going through BT I have the option of upgrading and paying more per month for limited or unlimited access to wifi. My question is, if I were just to buy my own router and plug it in, how would BT know?

[ChuckFickens]

they wouldn't know, and they don't care.

Once you have a broadband internet connection you can connect whatever equipment to it you want.

only slightproblem is BT won't offer tech support your own equipment (though BT tech support for their own equipment is crap, so no loss there!!)

[ChuckFickens]

oh and unlimited and limited is on your physical internet connection and refers to any download limit you may have, using wireless (wifi) or wired will make no difference to this.

[Chinajan]

Ah I see. Thank you!

[Chinajan]

Oh - sorry I've just thought of something else. If you do the BT upgrade thang you get the choice of three options 250 minutes per month wifi access, 350 or unlimited wifi access. Does this affect what you told me?

Thanks again.

[sara3]

are you thinking that if you buy a different router, you won't have to pay for your internet? BT will still be providing this service for you and will know what your usage is, and you will still be charged.

but you can use whatever router you like :o)

[Tichfield]

Chinajan is talking about buying unlimited WiFi using "hotspots" around the country.

[ChuckFickens]

OK I think the wifi minutes you are talking about are about BT HOTSPOT wifi openzone use. these are public places where you can use the internet wirelessly (sp?) with your laptop while away from home.

for home use not relevant at all

[Tichfield]

Unlimited WiFi minutes per month7
Join the BT Fon network and gain access to 100s of thousands of WiFi broadband hotspots around the world, including BT Openzone WiFi hotspots across UK and Ireland. You get unlimited inclusive WiFi minutes in a BT Fon hotspot (500 minutes in BT Openzone) for each month of your contract.

http://www.productsandservices.bt.com/consumer Products/displayTopic.do?topicId=15764

[Chinajan]

Oh thanks! No - I'm not talking about using hotspots. It appears I've misunderstood the BT spiel. I am only talking about home use. So these access minutes I've quoted are only counted when you're not using your home hub?

[Tichfield]

Correct. If you are not going to be using your laptop to connect to the net when you are out of range of your home hub you don't need this upgrade.