Virgin Media Hot Spots Coming to Thames Valley Network July 20th

[DJSADERS]

This is the letter Virgin Media are sending out:...

Free WiFi access is coming to your area.

Great news! We’re creating a new WiFi network so you can get online for free when you’re out and about. You’ll soon be able to hop online in lots of places in your area – all thanks to the power of an ever-expanding network.

Get ready for free WiFi access

From 20 July we’ll turn lots of Virgin Media Super Hubs into WiFi hotspots (including yours) to create a new WiFi network around Reading, Bracknell, Basingstoke, Newbury and Marlow. Then we’ll start rolling it out across the UK, so you can get connected in even more places.

How does it work?

We’ll switch on a separate internet connection to your Super Hub, which will become part of the WiFi network. Rest assured the broadband you love and pay for will stay exclusively yours – and remain just as secure.

Do I need to do anything?

You don’t have to lift a finger – there’s no installation, cables or faff. Just sit back and enjoy your broadband as you do now. We’ll be back in touch to let you know when it’s up and running, so you can download our new app and get connected to the hotspots in your area.

But if you don’t want to be part of our new WiFi network, you can opt out before 20 July.. If you do opt out, you won’t be able to use any of the hotspots in your area when you’re out and about.

Good stuff is around the corner.

Kind regards,

The Virgin Media team

[Kymmy]

about time

[Taf]

So my Shub is going to be a local wifi spot? Even when I have wifi disabled? And it's going to be powered by my own mains supply? At cost to me?

[Kymmy]

Originally Posted by Taf

So my Shub is going to be a local wifi spot? Even when I have wifi disabled? And it's going to be powered by my own mains supply? At cost to me?

You can opt out.. Also do you not leave the hub on 24/7?

[Helix]

I assume this will only be on Superhub 2s, I could barely get signal in the next room when I had a Superhub 1 let alone outside.

[arcimedes]

Hmm BT have been doing this for years although the way VM seem to be implementing it sounds better. Seeing as it appears that you have to opt out does that mean if you run your superhub in modem mode and avoid having a hot spot but take advantage of hot spots elsewhere

[Taf]

Originally Posted by Kymmy

You can opt out.. Also do you not leave the hub on 24/7?

No, it's off when we go to bed or go out, and is very rarely in wifi mode anyway. So would our wifi being off be an indication to thieves that the house may be empty?

---------- Post added at 13:22 ---------- Previous post was at 13:21 ----------

Originally Posted by arcimedes

Hmm BT have been doing this for years although the way VM seem to be implementing it sounds better. Seeing as it appears that you have to opt out does that mean if you run your superhub in modem mode and avoid having a hot spot but take advantage of hot spots elsewhere

If you opt out you cannot get access.

[Pierre]

Originally Posted by Taf

No, it's off when we go to bed or go out, and is very rarely in wifi mode anyway. So would our wifi being off be an indication to thieves that the house may be empty?.

Don't you ever use your IPad ( or other device) in bed?

Also constantly powering up and powering down a device like that is a sure way for it to fail at some point IMO.

Strange.

[qasdfdsaq]

Originally Posted by arcimedes

Seeing as it appears that you have to opt out does that mean if you run your superhub in modem mode and avoid having a hot spot but take advantage of hot spots elsewhere

Pretty much exactly the same as BT is doing in that case - as long as you haven't opted out, there's no other checks such as actually having the device connected.

[muppetman11]

Originally Posted by Helix

I assume this will only be on Superhub 2s, I could barely get signal in the next room when I had a Superhub 1 let alone outside.

If you have a Superhub 1 you also have to agree to entry to your property so the user can sit at the side of the superhub.

[heero_yuy]

Originally Posted by muppetman11

If you have a Superhub 1 you also have to agree to entry to your property so the user can sit at the side of the superhub.

I run my hub in modem mode so the wifi will be off anyway. No chance of ne'er-do-wells using my connection for nefarious purposes.

[Taf]

Originally Posted by Pierre

Don't you ever use your IPad ( or other device) in bed?

I don't have a pad, tablet, smartphone, or laptop, but I do have a workhorse 8 year old PC.

I go to bed to sleep. If I can.

Originally Posted by Pierre

Strange.

How so?

Just because a device or service is available, it doesn't make me a Luddite if I don't use it. And I am in no way technophobic.

[RobboEdin]

Originally Posted by Pierre

Also constantly powering up and powering down a device like that is a sure way for it to fail at some point IMO.

Strange.

I power down my Superhub 2 every night and have never had a problem.

[Sirius]

Originally Posted by DJSADERS

This is the letter Virgin Media are sending out:...

Free WiFi access is coming to your area.

Great news! We’re creating a new WiFi network so you can get online for free when you’re out and about. You’ll soon be able to hop online in lots of places in your area – all thanks to the power of an ever-expanding network.

Get ready for free WiFi access

From 20 July we’ll turn lots of Virgin Media Super Hubs into WiFi hotspots (including yours) to create a new WiFi network around Reading, Bracknell, Basingstoke, Newbury and Marlow. Then we’ll start rolling it out across the UK, so you can get connected in even more places.

How does it work?

We’ll switch on a separate internet connection to your Super Hub, which will become part of the WiFi network. Rest assured the broadband you love and pay for will stay exclusively yours – and remain just as secure.

Do I need to do anything?

You don’t have to lift a finger – there’s no installation, cables or faff. Just sit back and enjoy your broadband as you do now. We’ll be back in touch to let you know when it’s up and running, so you can download our new app and get connected to the hotspots in your area.

But if you don’t want to be part of our new WiFi network, you can opt out before 20 July.. If you do opt out, you won’t be able to use any of the hotspots in your area when you’re out and about.

Good stuff is around the corner.

Kind regards,

The Virgin Media team

Great idea and i like that you can opt out if you don't want to be part of it.

---------- Post added at 05:36 ---------- Previous post was at 05:34 ----------

Originally Posted by Kymmy

about time

Indeed.

[blackthorn]

Is this going to be only for those on Virgin mobile ?