back to article Microsoft starts switching on paid Wi-Fi service with latest Windows 10 preview

Microsoft has shipped another preview build of Windows 10 to the Windows Insider program's Fast release ring – the fourth in two weeks – but the single new feature is access to a paid Wi-Fi service that is only available to a small fraction of testers. "We're getting close to release now," Windows 10 ambassador Gabe Aul said …

  1. PleebSmash
    Thumb Down

    so much for open wi-fi

    So what, hotels, conference centers, planes etc. will be signing deals to offer Microsoft's pay-to-access Wi-Fi routers now? Like GoGo inflight interwebz but in more locations? I guess MS saw some high margins and decided to bust into the inconvenience market.

    1. John Tserkezis

      Re: so much for open wi-fi

      "will be signing deals to offer Microsoft's pay-to-access Wi-Fi routers now?"

      The idea is not new or unique. There are a number of companies offering services like this. Bascially, they do as you said - they make deals with various hotels/conference centres etc. The corporate end user gets sent either to, or near one of these places, they look for the relevant WiFi SSID name and run up the connection software. From here they enter their regular corporate login, and it all magically works and paid for by the corporate overlords.

      Microsoft might eliminate or streamline some of those steps, but it's bascially the same idea.

      From what I remember, our corporate overlords paid a truck load of money in contractual form to have that servcice available to us, so I can't see Microsoft doing this "on the cheap". And that might be the problem, if you're aiming for the domestic (cost sensitive) market, I don't see cellular portable WiFi access points going away anytime soon. Nor freebee WiFi points (even if you have to look for one) either.

  2. Shannon Jacobs

    Feaping Creaturitus

    Excellent example of a feature that has NO business being part of the kernel operating system. Useful if you want it, but NOT something that needs to be there by default for EVERY user.

    1. dogged

      Re: Feaping Creaturitus

      That'll probably be why it's not in the kernel.

      It's a Windows Store App that you install or don't.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Feaping Creaturitus

        Shhh don't ruin the rant. A blinkered view of reality is what makes a fanboy what they are,

        1. hplasm
          Gimp

          Re: Feaping Creaturitus

          Pointing out shitness is the opposite of fanboiness.

          Your blinkers are blocking your view.

          1. dogged

            Re: Feaping Creaturitus

            Wrongly pointing out shitness in a thing that's not what you like is the absolute epitome of fanboiness.

            1. hplasm
              Meh

              Re: Feaping Creaturitus

              "Wrongly pointing out shitness in a thing that's not what you like..."

              Ah- so you admit the shitness? Even your Fanboiness is slipping. Win 10 must be much worse than everyone is saying...

              1. dogged

                Re: Feaping Creaturitus

                I installed Win10 on a touchscreen AIO once, it was deeply unstable with a development environment on it, I rolled back to Win8.1.

                I also installed it on a tablet a couple of months back and it was unusable.

                You have mistaken being unwilling to see ignorant tripe written by idiots and (probably) paid agitators (because let's face it, you don't see this level of outright hate anywhere the genuinely technically savvy tend to gather on the Internet) for being a fanboi. I'm just as defensive of my linux systems where required.

                You won't have noticed that because of the howling mass of penguinistas we have here.

                I personally dislike Apple products but we have five of them in our house since my other half is deeply indoctrinated in the Cult of Jobs and this does not concern me at all.

                And if you can't see the difference between an application you can choose to install and a kernel feature, then either somebody is paying you to be obtuse or you are functionally illiterate regarding computers and probably dictated your comments to your long-suffering minder. I expect the minder views it as welcome relief from wiping your arse for you, but the end result of that and what we see on screen from you are mostly indistinguishable.

                1. John 104

                  Re: Feaping Creaturitus

                  To wit, it probably isn't in the kernel. Likely, it is one of the many svvhost processes running and is tied to the networking stack. That being said, its still bullshit. having it pop up any time an MS network is near and prompting to buy is annoying at best, and probably misleading. Uneducated folks will unwittingly buy something they don't need...

                2. hplasm
                  Happy

                  Re: Feaping Creaturitus

                  "I installed Win10 on a touchscreen AIO once, it was deeply unstable with a development environment on it, I rolled back to Win8.1."

                  I rest my case.

                  Win 10 definitely must be much worse than everyone is saying...

    2. JLV
      Happy

      Re: Feaping Creaturitus

      >part of the kernel operating system

      "kernel"

      That there word don't mean what youze thinks it means, young Shannon.

  3. Frank N. Stein

    The idiots in Redmond DO realize that free WiFi can be had in malls, and at Fast Food Restaurants, don't they? So paying for "Microsoft WiFi" is likely to gain as much traction as Windows 8.1 did with businesses.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      maybe they're targeting countries (Germany) where public wifis aren't so popular because the operator is responsible for any traffic that passes over their network (of course to get around this, the microsoft app will either have to give your private details to the operator or store the connection details somewhere, just in case you do something illegal)

    2. ColonelClaw

      Windows sells by the millions, if even 0.1% of users buy some WiFi time, they will have made decent money. You and I will never use it, of course, but I can think of plenty of people who don't know any better that might.

  4. Haku
    FAIL

    "As long as you're in the country where you bought Microsoft Wi-Fi"

    "You can't save time for later."

    "You also can't transfer your Microsoft Wi-Fi time to another device; you can only use it on the device you bought it from."

  5. Steve Davies 3 Silver badge

    Another MS Footgun then?

    With the spread of 'Free WiFi' who really wants to pay for it?

    With more and more people with Tethering included in their Mobile Data plans who really needs this?

    Unless MS has some deal with the likes of Starbucks (why else would you go there for Coffee?) and suddenly we have to pay for the WiFi then I am struggling to find a real business case for this.

    The only thing I can see is that so few people will use it that those that do will get better speeds than the rest of us.

    Only time will tell if this is a winner or another item on the ever increasing list of dumb ideas to come out of Redmond.

  6. thondwe

    Skype Wifi Rebranded

    Isn't this just Skype Wifi re-branded? I've used it in odd places - basically if you find a pay-for wifi area, sometimes you can get Skype Wifi to do the paying - so possibly saves money, and certainly saves having to sign up to though yet another portal?

    The proliferation of Wifi hot-spots is the work of devil - my poor phone hops from Coffee Shop to Fast Food emporium so often it doesn't actually get time to download any mail, etc.... I'd give up and turn it off if wasn't for the rubbish Vodafone 3G signal everywhere I go....

  7. Fihart

    It's just business. Nothing personal. Again.

    Think of something that's free or cheap and try to get people to pay a premium for it.

    Isn't that the MS way ?

  8. Nifty Silver badge

    Yawn

    When what punters really expect from a company with such an international presence is on demand, by-the-day 3g/4g data in any country you alight upon - an "Amazon Global Wireless for Kindle" on steroids.

  9. Tromos

    It would stand a better chance if it was available in all countries except the one you paid in. When in your own country, you get free Wi-Fi at home and at work and generally know of several other places to find it. When abroad it can be tricky to get connected without rip-off charges from hotels, airports and touristy internet cafes.

    1. keith_w

      I think you missed the point where the laptop finds the MS Hotspot for you and asks if you want to buy time, you don't need to go hunting for one, just as you do not need to go hunting for a non-MS Hotspot.

  10. smudge
    FAIL

    As long as you're in the country where you bought Microsoft Wi-Fi...

    Sounds like another scheme thought up by some American without a passport who thinks that international news comes from anywhere outside their own state.

    Global solutions, guys - global solutions.

  11. John 104

    1990s All Over Again?

    Your time starts right after you buy a Microsoft Wi-Fi plan through the Windows Store and ends at the specified time. For example, if you buy a two-hour plan, your time will end two hours later, regardless of how long you're actually connected to Microsoft Wi-Fi. You can't save time for later.

    Smells a lot like AOL monthly minutes to me. Except with AOL, you didn't get charged for your minutes whether you used them or not. What a joke.

  12. BobRocket

    Google has given MS the willies

    Once again MS misunderstand the disruptive nature of The Chocolate Factory.

    For a fixed monthy payment you will get unlimited internet access at the fastest available rate anywhere in the world, seamlessly roaming from one provider to the next (fixed/mobile/wifi/bluetooth/meshIoT).

    They will probably throw in a Google device for free (phone/slab/book).

  13. Gartal

    Stay on topic please

    Hi everyone, (and you Dave). I have been reading Reg comments for.......... about 40 years now and have to say some pretty harsh stuff.

    Scotchbrite. Cheese grater. Smallpox. Hessian undies. Pox Vopuli. Tony Abbot.

    Get the picture?

  14. e^iπ+1=0

    wtf?

    "That leaves out all of Asia, and also notably absent are such large but developing markets as Brazil, India, and Russia."

    Where the fuck's India if it's not in Asia? Ditto most of Russia.

  15. MissingSecurity
    Trollface

    What is feels like...

    This is a completely base less comment, but it feels like an MS Exec's manifestation of frustration, because MS had a hard time competing the in the Ad business and pushing views to their avert platform and some snobbish exec said "If we can't get them to our websites, we'll force them to pay to get them to our competitors".

    I will in all likeliness never use this (Linux User) but if MS can make pay-by-minute internet more easy to use, than good luck. If I am using Windows and work is willing to pay for the time, than I might not care, but than again, they are more likely to provide hotspot access on my mobile (which I can use with the Linux Laptop).

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