Kabel Deutschland opens private Wi-Fi hotspots
Jörn Krieger | 12-10-2013
Germany's largest cable operator Kabel Deutschland will give its customers the possibility to co-use the Wi-Fi home networks of other customers free of charge when they are within reach.
For the so-called homespots a second Wi-Fi signal will be activated on the customers' cable routers separated from the private internet connection.
With activation of the shared surfing feature, customers will become part of the homespot community and can access the internet through the homespots of other customers without additional charge when they are on the move. Non-customers of Kabel Deutschland will not be granted access. The speed of the private internet connection will not be affected as the homespot will be allocated additional bandwidth. The legal risk in case the third-party Wi-Fi access is misused for illegal activities will be covered by Kabel Deutschland.
With the opening of the private Wi-Fi networks for other customers, Kabel Deutschland complements the public Wi-Fi hotspots it is currently installing at busy streets and squares in several towns as well as the Wi-Fi hotspots it operates in conjunction with partners such as cafés, municipal citizen offices and museums.