Fon leave UK users in the lurch

kwikbreaks · 7 November 2014 at 11:07AM

I've been running a Fon hotspot for ages to get access to Fon hotspots without the need to have BT as my ISP.

My Fon router stopped working the other day and I posted on the Tech board to see if others had hit the same problem - for details of the tech side of things check http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=5105399

I haven't had a response to my query to Fon yet but somebody else has..

As we're currently replacing and improving our systems, the Fonera router model FON2201C-UK is no longer compatible with the Fon network.
We therefore regret to inform you that this Fonera will no longer be connected to the internet and, if this router model is currently the only one your Fon account, you no longer have access to the user zone.
We therefore advise you to subscribe to BT for a broadband connection that will come with a Fon account, or purchase a Fonera through our shop: https://shop.fon.com/en/products/all
We hope you continue to enjoy the Fon network!
Kind regards,
Matt
Fon Customer Care
For more information about Fon, please click here: http://corp.fon.com/
We also recommend you to have a look at our FAQs at https://fon.zendesk.com/forums

So Fon have unilaterally dropped support (or possibly naffed up through a duff firmware upgrade - see tech thread) thousands of UK users equipment with no consultation or compensation. The old accounts are no longer usable so presumably any credit in them is lost as it is certainly unusable although I'll try to get it transferred to a new account or repaid.

Radderz81 · 19 February 2015 at 12:59AM

I've just found the same thing, after digging out my router intending to use it to extend my wifi signal, I'm no longer able to even do that!

The Wifi signals are active, but the default user/pass is no longer admin/admin, so it leaves you unable to login to configure the router.

In theory you never needed to have an internet connection to set this up, so I guess like you say, it smells like a firmware update gone wrong. Even resetting to factory settings does not allow login.

Whatever happened to the lifetime membership to the fon network which was advertised when you purchased the product? and why lock it so that you can't even use it as a signal booster?

Damn, they've lost my respect, especially as they are not willing to make amends.

andyt8 · 11 March 2015 at 11:21AM

Luckily when I bought a fon spot I went for the then new Fon Simpl.

This still works - but the friends & family login has gone, as has bandwidth throttling from their web control panel. However the passwords are still the same as I set years back, and I can access the Simpl management console direct over wifi or the wired ethernet. In fact I think the access via wifi is new - I seem to remember previously having to connect via RJ45 lead.

I have seen mentioned that there was an offer of a discount on a new fonera (40 or 50% ish) to those stranded with the older models that no longer work on their upgraded fon network. Tech support also said if I wanted Facebook Friends login to replace the Friends & Family then I should just re-register my fon simpl. I'll leave that for now thanks :-)

You also need to have the same email registered on facebook as you do with fon if you want this to work (so they can tie the accounts together and give access to your friends?). Plus non-friends logging in with their facebook account will get a limited time free, enough to read an email etc I guess.

kwikbreaks · 11 March 2015 at 4:43PM

Yes there was eventually a discount offer but I'd already got a Simpla by the time I found out.

The snag with the new setup is that whoever logs in to your hotpspot gets the same IP as you - previously they had an IP that was different and linked to their Fon login. This means that in the (probably unlikely) event of them misbehaving enough to attract the attentions of PC Plod it's your PCs that will be bagged up and taken away.

You can just ignore that risk or make sure your hotspot is virtually undetectable outside your premises. I've taken the second option which is a tad dishonest. It's Fon's fault though - with the old setup I'd put up an external antenna to make my hotspot easy to use.

Fon leave UK users in the lurch

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