WiFi Alliance pimping Passpoint

The WiFi Alliance’s Passpoint program is finally set to arrive in devices, with the organization announcing that the first kit certified to use Passpoint will start shipping next month. The Alliance will also begin certifying hotpsot providers in June. Passpoint is designed to make public WiFi more easily accessible to users …

[Anonymous Coward]

So single signon standard

So this is basicly a single signon for wirelessnetworks and in that its not just wifi but also open to the xg mobile networks.

This has its positives and negatives on many levels. Yes easier for non geeks to have there fun, whilst at the same time allowing you to be tracked just that bit easier and also being open to another form of passport theft.

One aspect that will appeal to the mobile telco's is that it allows them to passoff the mobile phone network onto wifi ala femtocell. If they can do that and still charge you for making a call you could of made via skype over wifi, they will be all for that. As well as being able to sell it as better coverage and tie your passport onto one of there branded phones/SIM's and in that offering them the ability to secure there customer base into new technologies and to potentual eat into the whole credit card market, passport control, and down the line having your sim chip implanted into you at birth with the world run by the mobile telco companies. Maybe, sure somebody has done a book already.

Still as long as the Reg Blanks of the world can login the hard way, then everybody will end up not even realise that they will get sold a identity card dressed up in the name of making your life easier and having you activly market yourself.

Hope it's secure, the tools for the mobile telco's are now comming into place, will they use them and will this casue WIFI to become the new femtocell. Though BT do have alot of this technology inplace already with there phone/braodband/wifi customers, just those extra details and they suddenly BT becomes a name on the street again.

Interesting times ahead.

[Anonymous Coward]

Why would I want this?

You say its designed to let mobile carriers charge us more money and let the RIAA and MPAA bring their DRM into our home networks? Yes please, sign me up!

There better be a different symbol than the standard wifi icon on your phone when you're logged in this way, otherwise how could you know you are being billed for your usage rather than just connecting to a free wifi network your device has remembered?

Not sure how this is supposed to work with the DRM in the home, though if its the usual sort of RIAA/MPAA scheme for accessing DRM protected content it will only work using your Windows PC, or possibly OS X also, but only if they're feeling particularly kind. Linux/Chromium/whatever would be right out. In the mobile world iOS and Windows Phone, being locked down, would be fine. Android, being open and tainted by the evil Linux demon, would be left looking in from the outside. Well, maybe it would be allowed in, but only if you use only the carrier provided version of Android and firmware. No rooting or upgrading to the standard open Google version or you lose access to all that juicy DRM protected content.

It doesn't sound like it does anything useful for consumers, other than save you a moment or two logging into pay hotspots (something I personally never do, everywhere has free wifi these days at least in the US) Its almost as one sided a deal as the Clipper chip, and we know how far that went...

[DryBones]

Re: Why would I want this?

Let's see. Requires little thinking, and keeps you away from stuff that someone else thinks you shouldn't have access to. Obviously, the icon can only be a sheep. Can they get that down to indicator icon size?

[shrdlu]

Mind Maps

The current sign-on page is an advertising opportunity for the venue providing the hotspot. This system takes that away. Who will pay for that?

[Dan 55]

So what's the advantage for the end user?

Anyone?

[MrZoolook]

Re: So what's the advantage for the end user?

"So what's the advantage"

The advantage is that the mobile operator and/or wifi ISP operator will charge your mobile automagically for using their networks bandwidth. So possibly even using your home network will potentially be billable by your ISP.

"So what's the advantage for the end user?"

That's a work in progress, we'll get back to you!

[Anonymous Coward]

"...bake DRM into kit..."

Locate foot, take aim, pull trigger. Great business plan.

Could this be from the same geniuses that were proposing every HD should be DRMed a decade or more ago? That flew well, didn't it. What's next; DRM implants?