O2 to stop using BT Openzone with loss of 4 Million Hotspots

Everything Goes · 30-05-2013, 17:14

O2 customers will no longer be able to use BT Openzone WiFi Hotspots as of 1st July 2013. This means the loss of approximately 4 Million Hotspots. O2 only have 8,000 their own hotspots nationally.

O2 are keen to cut costs so customers will have to rely on 2G and 3G where available.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/05...f_bt_openzone/

gillyallan · 30-05-2013, 17:32

Is that like the ones in mcds, subway, pizza hut? As thats the only ones ive ever been able to connect to. Any that say bt dont let me.

TeeGee · 30-05-2013, 18:25

I could not even connect to O2 normally in Northern France last weekend. Time to move on I think.

japaul · 30-05-2013, 18:45

A bit misleading I think as you are really losing about 4000, not 4 million hotspots. Most of the millions are Fon ones which are mostly BT Broadband customers sharing access to their hub. O2 (or any of mobile networks) customers never had any access to these. They can only use the premium ones like what you get at Starbucks.

The Lord Lucan · 30-05-2013, 19:22

Calm down they are only losing 3,500 hot spots..

enapace · 30-05-2013, 20:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Lord Lucan

Calm down they are only losing 3,500 hot spots..

True but this is another let down for O2 customers first they lose Customer Service based in uk and then lose Hotspot access. O2 3G is not good as it is they are really need to make they improve it now.

moox · 30-05-2013, 20:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by gillyallan

Is that like the ones in mcds, subway, pizza hut? As thats the only ones ive ever been able to connect to. Any that say bt dont let me.

Do they not have free wifi for anyone anyway? McDonalds does, at least the ones I've been in all use free Cloud wifi although someone said they were in the process of changing to someone else.

Quote:

Originally Posted by japaul

A bit misleading I think as you are really losing about 4000, not 4 million hotspots. Most of the millions are Fon ones which are mostly BT Broadband customers sharing access to their hub. O2 (or any of mobile networks) customers never had any access to these. They can only use the premium ones like what you get at Starbucks.

Not even all of the premium ones. This was before the Olympics, but T-Mobile's equivalent WiFi addons explicitly stated that it didn't include any hotspots near or in the Olympic Park.

flagpole · 30-05-2013, 21:00

This will not save o2 money.

It is much cheaper if o2 can get their customers on to WiFi than building extra cell capacity.

Thine Wonk · 30-05-2013, 21:02

They might see a knock on effect on the network when all those are unavailable to customers.

The Lord Lucan · 30-05-2013, 21:12

Maybe something to do with the ongoing deal.... and nowt to do with cost cutting. 'You can't have both Sir..'

tothegrand · 30-05-2013, 21:16

Must have something to do with Sky taking over there broadband and phone business.

interactiv-uk · 30-05-2013, 21:50

Now could it be that July just happens to be in the summer and something faster MAY be launching around then which would render the need for BT WiFi void??

Also, O2's own Wifi service is now available in most of the places I visit - Costa, McDonalds, Pizza Hut, Debenhams, Tony & Guy, Vintage Inns etc - the only place I ever used BT was Starbucks and that was only on the odd occasion when it worked!

The BT Openzone mesh wifi in some city centres has always been unreliable and very slow when it did work.

I don't think this is as big a deal as people are making it out to be - certainly not as big a deal as when we lost access to The Cloud a while back.

BOOTHY2905 · 30-05-2013, 22:47

Sky have just acquired O2's fixed line business so maybe this has something to do with it.

wavejockglw · 31-05-2013, 12:45

What a scaremongering exaggerated heading! Good try at misleading others OP......

BT Openzone is also available to Vodafone and T-Mobile customers but it's not much use as it has very limited coverage compared to the BT Fon hotspots which BT keep for their own customers. The loss of BT Openzone will not make much of a difference to the average O2 customer.

02's own Wi-Fi is in plenty of popular places now and it's not just for O2 customers. Anyone can sign up and use their WiFi network for free. http://www.o2wifi.co.uk/

The story is being carried on the BBC with an accurate account of the effect the change will have for customers:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-22728977

Everything Goes · 31-05-2013, 13:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by wavejockglw

What a scaremongering exaggerated heading! Good try at misleading others OP......

BT Openzone is also available to Vodafone and T-Mobile customers but it's not much use as it has very limited coverage compared to the BT Fon hotspots which BT keep for their own customers. The loss of BT Openzone will not make much of a difference to the average O2 customer.

02's own Wi-Fi is in plenty of popular places now and it's not just for O2 customers. Anyone can sign up and use their WiFi network for free. http://www.o2wifi.co.uk/

The story is being carried on the BBC with an accurate account of the effect the change will have for customers:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-22728977

From your own quoted source:

It means O2 will lose around one third of its current wi-fi hotspot network.

That's a substantial loss.

Go on keep making excuses it makes me laugh

flagpole · 31-05-2013, 13:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Everything Goes

From your own quoted source:

It means O2 will lose around one third of its current wi-fi hotspot network.

That's a substantial loss.

Go on keep making excuses it makes me laugh

Losing a third is a big difference from losing 99.8%

wavejockglw · 31-05-2013, 13:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by flagpole

Losing a third is a big difference from losing 99.8%

Absolutely......

No excuse for disinformation!

O2 are expanding their own Wi-Fi network also which as already stated is free to use by anyone with a Wi-Fi device who chooses to register.

Everything Goes · 31-05-2013, 13:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by flagpole

Losing a third is a big difference from losing 99.8%

I never said they would loose 99.8% did I?

Everything Goes · 31-05-2013, 13:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by wavejockglw

Absolutely......

No excuse for disinformation!

O2 are expanding their own Wi-Fi network also which as already stated is free to use by anyone with a Wi-Fi device who chooses to register.

What disinformation?

chenks · 31-05-2013, 13:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by Everything Goes

What disinformation?

you said the loss of 4 million hotspots. not correct.

Everything Goes · 31-05-2013, 13:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by chenks

you said the loss of 4 million hotspots. not correct.

I quoted an article in good faith.

Even the BBC article states BT have 5 Million WiFi Hotspots:

Quote:

BT Openzone has five million hotspots but O2 says that only 4,200 of them were ever shared with its customers.

flagpole · 31-05-2013, 13:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by Everything Goes

I never said they would loose 99.8% did I?

Am i missing something?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Everything Goes

This means the loss of approximately 4 Million Hotspots. O2 only have 8,000 their own hotspots nationally.

Everything Goes · 31-05-2013, 13:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by flagpole

Am i missing something?

Yes I never quoted a percentage.

The article was updated to clarify this point so I will post the update they did.

Updated to Add

*Since this article was published we've been contacted by distraught O2 spokespersons who say that actually O2 customers have never had access to the huge majority of BT's millions of hotspots, so they aren't really losing anything of massive importance here. Our thinking that O2 customers had such access is natural enough, because BT said so back in 2010:

BT has announced unlimited access to 1.5 million BT FON and BT Openzone wi-fi hotspots across the UK for millions of BT Total Broadband users. These include O2's mobile customers ...

BT had also previously said that the Openzone hotspots usable by O2 customers alone numbered 65,000.

This was all widely reported at the time, without any apparent attempt by O2 to contradict this erroneously inflated view of the service it was offering. However the company is now keen that everyone should realise that the BT partnership didn't actually offer O2 mobile users anything very good: O2 now says that just "approximately 4.2k" of BT's hotspots (the "premium managed" Openzone ones, seemingly) are accessible to its customers right now and those are the only ones they could ever use, so this is all they'll be losing in July.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/05...f_bt_openzone/

flagpole · 31-05-2013, 13:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Everything Goes

Yes I never quoted a percentage.

lol. ok.

My issue wasn't actually with the numbers that you gave. it was that you said to wavejocky 'Go on keep making excuses it makes me laugh' when he corrected your numbers by a factor of 1000x

Everything Goes · 31-05-2013, 13:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by flagpole

lol. ok.

My issue wasn't actually with the numbers that you gave. it was that you said to wavejocky 'Go on keep making excuses it makes me laugh' when he corrected your numbers by a factor of 1000x

I was referring to the fact that Wavejock defends O2 against any negative comments with such venom. Perhaps I should have made it more clear.

30-05-2013, 17:14	#1
Everything Goes Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: In the future.... Posts: 11,259	O2 to stop using BT Openzone with loss of 4 Million Hotspots O2 customers will no longer be able to use BT Openzone WiFi Hotspots as of 1st July 2013. This means the loss of approximately 4 Million Hotspots. O2 only have 8,000 their own hotspots nationally. O2 are keen to cut costs so customers will have to rely on 2G and 3G where available. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/05...f_bt_openzone/

30-05-2013, 17:32	#2
gillyallan Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 29,115	Is that like the ones in mcds, subway, pizza hut? As thats the only ones ive ever been able to connect to. Any that say bt dont let me.

30-05-2013, 18:25	#3
TeeGee Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Dark Satanic Mills Posts: 4,821	I could not even connect to O2 normally in Northern France last weekend. Time to move on I think.

30-05-2013, 18:45	#4
japaul Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Posts: 1,662	A bit misleading I think as you are really losing about 4000, not 4 million hotspots. Most of the millions are Fon ones which are mostly BT Broadband customers sharing access to their hub. O2 (or any of mobile networks) customers never had any access to these. They can only use the premium ones like what you get at Starbucks.

30-05-2013, 19:22	#5
The Lord Lucan Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Scotland Posts: 4,966	Calm down they are only losing 3,500 hot spots..

30-05-2013, 20:43	#6
enapace Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Posts: 4,249	Quote: Originally Posted by The Lord Lucan Calm down they are only losing 3,500 hot spots.. True but this is another let down for O2 customers first they lose Customer Service based in uk and then lose Hotspot access. O2 3G is not good as it is they are really need to make they improve it now.

30-05-2013, 20:47	#7
moox Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 14,645	Quote: Originally Posted by gillyallan Is that like the ones in mcds, subway, pizza hut? As thats the only ones ive ever been able to connect to. Any that say bt dont let me. Do they not have free wifi for anyone anyway? McDonalds does, at least the ones I've been in all use free Cloud wifi although someone said they were in the process of changing to someone else. Quote: Originally Posted by japaul A bit misleading I think as you are really losing about 4000, not 4 million hotspots. Most of the millions are Fon ones which are mostly BT Broadband customers sharing access to their hub. O2 (or any of mobile networks) customers never had any access to these. They can only use the premium ones like what you get at Starbucks. Not even all of the premium ones. This was before the Olympics, but T-Mobile's equivalent WiFi addons explicitly stated that it didn't include any hotspots near or in the Olympic Park.

30-05-2013, 21:00	#8
flagpole Inactive Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 43,524	This will not save o2 money. It is much cheaper if o2 can get their customers on to WiFi than building extra cell capacity.

30-05-2013, 21:02	#9
Thine Wonk Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 14,577	They might see a knock on effect on the network when all those are unavailable to customers.

30-05-2013, 21:12	#10
The Lord Lucan Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Scotland Posts: 4,966	Maybe something to do with the ongoing deal.... and nowt to do with cost cutting. 'You can't have both Sir..'

30-05-2013, 21:16	#11
tothegrand Forum Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 4,161	Must have something to do with Sky taking over there broadband and phone business.

30-05-2013, 21:50	#12
interactiv-uk Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 587	Now could it be that July just happens to be in the summer and something faster MAY be launching around then which would render the need for BT WiFi void?? Also, O2's own Wifi service is now available in most of the places I visit - Costa, McDonalds, Pizza Hut, Debenhams, Tony & Guy, Vintage Inns etc - the only place I ever used BT was Starbucks and that was only on the odd occasion when it worked! The BT Openzone mesh wifi in some city centres has always been unreliable and very slow when it did work. I don't think this is as big a deal as people are making it out to be - certainly not as big a deal as when we lost access to The Cloud a while back.

30-05-2013, 22:47	#13
BOOTHY2905 Forum Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 1,512	Sky have just acquired O2's fixed line business so maybe this has something to do with it.

31-05-2013, 12:45	#14
wavejockglw Inactive Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Glasgow Posts: 10,276	What a scaremongering exaggerated heading! Good try at misleading others OP...... BT Openzone is also available to Vodafone and T-Mobile customers but it's not much use as it has very limited coverage compared to the BT Fon hotspots which BT keep for their own customers. The loss of BT Openzone will not make much of a difference to the average O2 customer. 02's own Wi-Fi is in plenty of popular places now and it's not just for O2 customers. Anyone can sign up and use their WiFi network for free. http://www.o2wifi.co.uk/ The story is being carried on the BBC with an accurate account of the effect the change will have for customers: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-22728977

31-05-2013, 13:07	#15
Everything Goes Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: In the future.... Posts: 11,259	Quote: Originally Posted by wavejockglw What a scaremongering exaggerated heading! Good try at misleading others OP...... BT Openzone is also available to Vodafone and T-Mobile customers but it's not much use as it has very limited coverage compared to the BT Fon hotspots which BT keep for their own customers. The loss of BT Openzone will not make much of a difference to the average O2 customer. 02's own Wi-Fi is in plenty of popular places now and it's not just for O2 customers. Anyone can sign up and use their WiFi network for free. http://www.o2wifi.co.uk/ The story is being carried on the BBC with an accurate account of the effect the change will have for customers: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-22728977 From your own quoted source: It means O2 will lose around one third of its current wi-fi hotspot network. That's a substantial loss. Go on keep making excuses it makes me laugh

31-05-2013, 13:09	#16
flagpole Inactive Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 43,524	Quote: Originally Posted by Everything Goes From your own quoted source: It means O2 will lose around one third of its current wi-fi hotspot network. That's a substantial loss. Go on keep making excuses it makes me laugh Losing a third is a big difference from losing 99.8%

31-05-2013, 13:12	#17
wavejockglw Inactive Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Glasgow Posts: 10,276	Quote: Originally Posted by flagpole Losing a third is a big difference from losing 99.8% Absolutely...... No excuse for disinformation! O2 are expanding their own Wi-Fi network also which as already stated is free to use by anyone with a Wi-Fi device who chooses to register.

31-05-2013, 13:16	#18
Everything Goes Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: In the future.... Posts: 11,259	Quote: Originally Posted by flagpole Losing a third is a big difference from losing 99.8% I never said they would loose 99.8% did I?

31-05-2013, 13:17	#19
Everything Goes Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: In the future.... Posts: 11,259	Quote: Originally Posted by wavejockglw Absolutely...... No excuse for disinformation! O2 are expanding their own Wi-Fi network also which as already stated is free to use by anyone with a Wi-Fi device who chooses to register. What disinformation?

31-05-2013, 13:19	#20
chenks Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: North Ayrshire Posts: 11,399	Quote: Originally Posted by Everything Goes What disinformation? you said the loss of 4 million hotspots. not correct.

31-05-2013, 13:21	#21
Everything Goes Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: In the future.... Posts: 11,259	Quote: Originally Posted by chenks you said the loss of 4 million hotspots. not correct. I quoted an article in good faith. Even the BBC article states BT have 5 Million WiFi Hotspots: Quote: BT Openzone has five million hotspots but O2 says that only 4,200 of them were ever shared with its customers.

DS Forums

O2 to stop using BT Openzone with loss of 4 Million Hotspots

31-05-2013, 13:22	#22
flagpole Inactive Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 43,524	Quote: Originally Posted by Everything Goes I never said they would loose 99.8% did I? Am i missing something? Quote: Originally Posted by Everything Goes This means the loss of approximately 4 Million Hotspots. O2 only have 8,000 their own hotspots nationally.

31-05-2013, 13:28	#23
Everything Goes Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: In the future.... Posts: 11,259	Quote: Originally Posted by flagpole Am i missing something? Yes I never quoted a percentage. The article was updated to clarify this point so I will post the update they did. Updated to Add *Since this article was published we've been contacted by distraught O2 spokespersons who say that actually O2 customers have never had access to the huge majority of BT's millions of hotspots, so they aren't really losing anything of massive importance here. Our thinking that O2 customers had such access is natural enough, because BT said so back in 2010: BT has announced unlimited access to 1.5 million BT FON and BT Openzone wi-fi hotspots across the UK for millions of BT Total Broadband users. These include O2's mobile customers ... BT had also previously said that the Openzone hotspots usable by O2 customers alone numbered 65,000. This was all widely reported at the time, without any apparent attempt by O2 to contradict this erroneously inflated view of the service it was offering. However the company is now keen that everyone should realise that the BT partnership didn't actually offer O2 mobile users anything very good: O2 now says that just "approximately 4.2k" of BT's hotspots (the "premium managed" Openzone ones, seemingly) are accessible to its customers right now and those are the only ones they could ever use, so this is all they'll be losing in July. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/05...f_bt_openzone/

31-05-2013, 13:32	#24
flagpole Inactive Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 43,524	Quote: Originally Posted by Everything Goes Yes I never quoted a percentage. lol. ok. My issue wasn't actually with the numbers that you gave. it was that you said to wavejocky 'Go on keep making excuses it makes me laugh' when he corrected your numbers by a factor of 1000x

31-05-2013, 13:39	#25
Everything Goes Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: In the future.... Posts: 11,259	Quote: Originally Posted by flagpole lol. ok. My issue wasn't actually with the numbers that you gave. it was that you said to wavejocky 'Go on keep making excuses it makes me laugh' when he corrected your numbers by a factor of 1000x I was referring to the fact that Wavejock defends O2 against any negative comments with such venom. Perhaps I should have made it more clear.