Update: Yeah, this is total bollocks unfortunately. Check out this post for the update.
Link: Introducing Skype Zones – Skype in United Kingdom
Ever tried logging onto the net in a public hotspot? If so, the cost may have surprised you. That’s ‘surprised†as in ‘made you snort food out your nose in horrorâ€Â. At around £6 an hour, hotspots look like a very bad deal indeed compared with internet cafes that rarely charge more than £1 a pop.
Skype is helping to bridge the gap with Skype Zones, a beta service that allows you to access Skype and make calls from your own laptop in more than 18,000 Skype-friendly hotspots around the world, including 8,000-odd in the UK. The fees – just $2.95 (£1.60) for two hours or $7.95 (£4.20) unlimited for a whole month – put other commercial WiFi services to shame.
So the unlimited wifi account which I’ve just bought from The Cloud (at £11.99 a month) has now just been eclipsed by the Skype one for less than half the cost. I like it when the market moves fast. Interesting. Looks like Boingo Wireless have obviously done a deal with The Cloud since the hotspot directory is exactly the same — theoretically I can soon use this service to connect in the Blue Boar pub. Slight arse that it only appears to be available for Windows at the moment. I’m sure an Apple one will be forthcoming. (Well spotted Jeremy)
Plus, it only gives you access to Skype, not to the whole internet – http://support.skype.com/index.php?_a=knowledgebase&_j=questiondetails&_i=450
Slight problem – voice only!
“Can I access the internet with Skype Zones?
Connecting to Skype Zones only gives you access to Skype and all of it’s features. You will need no new or special settings nor components (except the Boingo software, of course).”
[…] Thank you to eagle eyed Paul and Carlo who posted comments alerting me about just how stupid I was. Never ASSUME eh. It makes an ASS out of U and ME. And Skype Zone users. […]
I tried this services and you can actualy access the internet as well. Not only voice.
thanks!