Original URL: http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/05/05/att_cuts_off_free_iphone_wifi/
For several days, AT&T was offering free WiFi to anyone with a Safari browser and a little common sense. But it seems the company has put a stop to such generosity.
On Wednesday, Macrumors.com (http://www.macrumors.com/2008/04/30/free-atandt-wi-fi-access-for-iphones/) reported that AT&T's WiFi hotspot service - which just hit 7,000 Starbucks coffee shops across the US - was coughing up free access to all Jesus Phone disciples. When hitting a Starbucks hotspot, disciples were presented with an official-looking screen that read "Free AT&T WiFi for iPhone." All they had to do was key in their phone number.
But it wasn't long before MacRumors readers realized they could nab free access without a Jesus Phone. Simply by spoofing the user agent on a Safari browser and keying in someone else's Jesus Phone number - hardly a difficult task - they could bypass AT&T's security from any ordinary laptop. If you can call it security.
Yes, Steve Jobs is on a mission to inflate (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/05/02/safari_share_triples/) Safari's market share. But we can safely that he's stopped short of a sweeping conspiracy involving AT&T. According to those Macrumors (http://www.macrumors.com/2008/05/03/atandt-disables-free-iphone-wi-fi-for-now/) readers, AT&T has now turned off its free WiFi screen. We can only assume that the company didn't realize that laptop users could grab a free ride too.
When we asked the company if has indeed shut off free WiFi access for Jesus Phones, it did not respond. But AT&T has yet to acknowledge that the service even existed in the first place. ®
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http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/05/21/vistaperfection_iphone/
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http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/05/06/iphone_vodafone/
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http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/05/02/safari_share_triples/
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http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/04/18/apple_updates_safari_update/
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http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2008/03/27/apple_updates_safari_eula/
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http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2008/03/26/apple_safari_eula_paradox/
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http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2008/03/24/mozilla_and_the_apple_itunes_update/