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FON-tastic way to turn mobiles into hotspots

Joikusoft – the developers behind the JoikuSpot software, which turns wi-fi enabled Symbian S60 phones into hotspots – has teamed up with wi-fi sharing bunch FON to release a new version of the client that will let wi-fi enabled devices from iPods to laptops to share your S60’s 3G connection.

The new software will allow FON’s users – the ‘Foneros’, who make their home broadband connection available to other users in return for free web reciprocal access when they’re roaming – to turn their mobiles into modems and share the connection with up to five other users of their choice. The software should be out in the third quarter of this year.

If this mobile hotspot software follows the fixed broadband model, Foneros will get free mobile internet when they’re out and about. It’s a great business model – give a bit, get a bit back, everyone’s a winner. Presumably Joikusoft will come up with some clever way of preventing those piggybacking on other’s connections from hoovering up data allowances or there could be some bill shock on the way.

7 COMMENTS

  1. Excellent! I got a couple of the FON spots way back when they were free. It's a great (and secure) way to share wireless AND get roaming.

    You can still get the FON hardware at http://www.fon.com/en

    I've got 20 invitations for FON, if you want to get the hardware for $/

  2. Hmmmm….let me get this straight….You: person with FON version of JoikuSpot on your N95, on the train. Me: complete stranger, with a FON account. I can automatically connect to your N95 and slurp my way through as much data as the device can handle.

    It would have to be automatic, otherwise I'd have to stand up & shout “can the guy with the FON WiFi please let me in?”

    You as the FONspot user would (maybe?) have the ability to kick me off if you were trying to download that large crucial email before loosing coverage in the next cutting.

    And all the while your N95's battery is ticking down…

    Is this an idea that sounds good but will fail because of practicalities? The FON sharing at home model works because your home broadband is pretty fast, so you are unlikely to notice any parasites, power is not an issue, and neither is reliability of connection. WiFi on mobiles has all 3 issues in spades.

    Hmmmm……

  3. But if you're an “Bill” you can make money of any “Aliens” using your connection. If you're desperate for all the bandwidth to yourself, you can always switch off the FON software.

  4. But if you're an “Bill” you can make money of any “Aliens” using your connection. If you're desperate for all the bandwidth to yourself, you can always switch off the FON software.

  5. Excellent! I got a couple of the FON spots way back when they were free. It's a great (and secure) way to share wireless AND get roaming.

    You can still get the FON hardware at http://www.fon.com/en

    I've got 20 invitations for FON, if you want to get the hardware for $/€19.95 (shipping charges not included). Let me know your email address and country.

    Here's a direct link to the Joiku FON Connection Manager.

  6. Hmmmm….let me get this straight….You: person with FON version of JoikuSpot on your N95, on the train. Me: complete stranger, with a FON account. I can automatically connect to your N95 and slurp my way through as much data as the device can handle.

    It would have to be automatic, otherwise I'd have to stand up & shout “can the guy with the FON WiFi please let me in?”

    You as the FONspot user would (maybe?) have the ability to kick me off if you were trying to download that large crucial email before loosing coverage in the next cutting.

    And all the while your N95's battery is ticking down…

    Is this an idea that sounds good but will fail because of practicalities? The FON sharing at home model works because your home broadband is pretty fast, so you are unlikely to notice any parasites, power is not an issue, and neither is reliability of connection. WiFi on mobiles has all 3 issues in spades.

    Hmmmm……

  7. But if you're an “Bill” you can make money of any “Aliens” using your connection. If you're desperate for all the bandwidth to yourself, you can always switch off the FON software.

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