Jun 03, 2015 Microsoft (MSFT) is preparing to launch a worldwide Wi-Fi service that will reportedly give subscribers access to millions of hotspots. Details of the plan temporarily went live on a Microsoft. Wifi costs will differ depending on the amount of gigabytes you need. Generally, it will cost more to get more gigabytes. Sometimes if you bundle a home phone with your Wifi plan it becomes cheaper than just getting Wifi on its own. Wifi modem/ routers normally send the signal to your devices so you can access the internet.
- Cost Of Microsoft Wifi Download
- Microsoft Wifi Locations
- Cost Of Microsoft Wifi Account
- How Much Is Microsoft Wifi
Microsoft may be spinning Skype WiFi into a separate service called Microsoft WiFi, with expanded coverage and tie-ins to Office 365 for businesses.
A new website at MicrosoftWiFi.com appears to be under construction, but a domain search lists the owner as MarkMonitor, a brand management firm that also owns the domain for Microsoft.com. We’ve reached out to Microsoft for comment.
UPDATE: Here's a statement from Microsoft: 'We are evaluating a new service, called Microsoft Wi-Fi, that will bring hassle-free Wi-Fi to millions. We look forward to sharing additional detail when available.'
Assuming the site is legitimate, it seems to be a revamp of the existing Skype Wi-Fi service, bringing together multiple providers’ hotspots under a single login. Engadget notes that Boingo, Xfinity WiFi, and Gowex hotspots are part of the plan, and we’ve also found lots of hotspots from Hilton hotels on the coverage map.
Office 365 for Enterprise subscribers will get Microsoft WiFi at no extra charge, the site says. Consumers could get the service through Microsoft’s Work and Play Bundle, which costs $149 per year and includes Office 365 Home, Skype Unlimited World service, and Xbox Live Gold. People who bought a Surface 2 tablet with a Skype WiFi Bundle may also get Microsoft WiFi, the site says.
Why this matters: Skype WiFi was already a nice way to get cheaper Internet service while traveling, but only if you remembered to put some Skype credit into your account. And even then, the pay-as-you-go model might not make sense for frequent travelers. Assuming Microsoft WiFi is real, it looks like a way to simplify the process in exchange for subscription-based pricing.
Note: When you purchase something after clicking links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. Read our affiliate link policy for more details.
Microsoft wants to be the company that provides the service you want, wherever you are, no matter what device you’re using. They’ve taken their biggest properties like Skype and OneDrive cross-platform. They even have Office running on iOS and Android. With Microsoft Wi-Fi, the software giant takes another step in the quest to be your go-to service provider.
Cost Of Microsoft Wifi Download
Using Microsoft Wi-Fi, road warriors and casual travelers alike could save time, money, and headaches connecting to for-pay wireless hotspots wherever they are. One account, one payment, over ten million locations around the world.
UPDATE: Microsoft has officially discontinued it’s Skype Wi-Fi service. No announcement has been made about Microsoft Wi-Fi, but the service’s website has been down for a few days. It looks like Microsoft Wi-Fi is being shutdown as well.
What is it?
Microsoft Wi-Fi is a new feature being rolled out with Windows 10. Well, the name is new. The feature has existed under the name Skype Wi-Fi for a few years now. It’s a service you can use to connect to for-pay Wi-Fi hotspots around the world without having to create an account with each Wi-Fi provider.
If you’ve traveled by air any time in the last 10 years you’ve probably encountered Boingo and Gogo wireless hotspots. Boingo and Gogo work well for frequent travelers because they’re pretty much ubiquitous in airports and on commercial flights. Regular travelers can create an account, buy a month worth of access, and use Wi-Fi anywhere Boingo and Gogo are available for the entire month. If you’re an infrequent traveler, this is nuts. You can still buy access by the day or hour, but the price may be ridiculous. You won’t know until you get there though, as it varies by location.
There are similar for-pay hotspot systems across the world. The problem with these systems is if you’re not frequently in places with the same system, using any of them doesn’t make financial sense. This is where Microsoft Wi-Fi comes in.
Microsoft has partnerships with Wi-Fi providers covering over ten million locations around the globe. If you connect to a partner hotspot, Microsoft Wi-Fi will negotiate the setup with the vendor and complete your connection. No need to create a new account, provide yet another company with your credit card information, or remember another username and password. You also presumably won’t need to negotiate changing fee structures. You’ll buy a chunk of time from Microsoft at a given price, and use it on any partner network you please.
Microsoft’s Wi-Fi Sense has been getting a lot of press lately. This isn’t Wi-Fi Sense. Wi-Fi Sense is a way for you to share network keys with contacts. The idea is that you’ll be able to access secure networks your friends use without ever having to be given the keys, and they’ll be able to do the same for networks you have access to. Microsoft says these connections will only allow access to the Internet and not local network resources (i.e. printers, other computers, media devices), but hasn’t provided any specifics as to how that will work yet.
How does it work?
Microsoft’s goal is for this to be as seamless as possible. In the Skype Wi-Fi days, you had to open the Skype Wi-Fi app and connect to participating providers through the app. That’s not a huge hurdle, but it’s annoying. With Microsoft Wi-Fi, you connect like you would anywhere. Just click on the Wi-Fi icon in the system tray and select “Purchase Wi-Fi from Windows Store”. Microsoft does the rest. This connection option will only show up when a partner hotspot is available for use.
What is the fee structure?
Microsoft Wifi Locations
Lots of for-pay hotspots have fee structures that work for regulars, but punish transient users. Frequently you can buy access for a month, week, day, or by the hour for increasingly ridiculous amounts. If you’re spending three hours in a coffee shop 500 miles from home, this can be a real pain in the wallet.
Details are still vague, but right now it looks like you can buy a chunk of access time from Microsoft and use it on any partner network. So if you buy eight hours from Microsoft you can use 30 minutes in St. Louis, another 90 in Seattle, 60 in Detroit, 45 in Milwaukee and still have four hours and 15 minutes to burn. One account, one payment.
There is one catch for international travelers. Your time is only good in the country you purchased it. So if you buy six hours in Germany and cross the border to Austria, your time is no good. Presumably, you can bank time in each country you frequent, but you’ll have to make multiple purchases. Still one account though.
The impact this has on you is really dependent on how and where you travel. If you’re constantly in search of a Wi-Fi signal, this could be huge for you. If you’re more of a homebody, you might never think about it again. Where you travel matters just as much. If you’re in places that Microsoft doesn’t have partnerships, the service is pointless for you.
Cost Of Microsoft Wifi Account
Microsoft Wi-Fi is aiming to simplify something that is likely headache-inducing for a lot of people. If the price point is right and the availability is good, this could be a very valuable and popular service.
READ NEXTHow Much Is Microsoft Wifi
- › How to Use Port Knocking on Linux (and Why You Shouldn’t)
- › What Is a “Hot Take,” and Where Did the Phrase Come From?
- › How Windows 7’s “Extended Security Updates” Will Work
- › Windows 10’s Phone Calls Will Support All Android 7+ Phones
- › What Is Patch Tuesday for Windows, and When Is It?