BT users create gigantic wireless hotspot

Around 100,000 BT customers will share part of their capacity as a wireless hotspot

BT has persuaded more than 100,000 of its Total Broadband customers to share part of their capacity as a wireless hotspot via the BT Fon network.

In return for sharing their own connections using their BT Home Hub, participants can access broadband through other Fon hotspots, along with BT Openzone hotspots, the UK's 13 wireless cities and 90,000 other Fon hotspots worldwide.

Customers signing up to the BT Total Broadband Anywhere package are automatically registered on the Fon network.

The service is currently restricted to BT Total broadband customers, but there are plans to extend the BT Fon network to users of other broadband providers through the purchase of a router.

"It is great to see BT Total Broadband customers joining forces to set up a people's Wi-Fi network across the UK," said Jon Hurry, director of consumer internet services at BT.

"BT has been instrumental in creating 'Broadband Britain', and we have built on that by calling on entire communities to come together to create a Wi-Fi network driven entirely by local broadband users."