Virgin Media to make your WiFi hub public access

anotherbaldrick

Yes . they intend to turn my/your property int a WiFi hotspot. Received a message from them informing me of their intention which considering the agro I have had from them is a downright insult

Cable operator Virgin Media (Liberty Global) will shortly start turning their SuperHub broadband routers into public WiFi hotspots so that other customers can access the Internet when nearby (e.g. those passing outside your property).

AS we have a main road outside with a lay-by we would have cars stopping at all times of the day and night while their occupants make unrestricted use of the hotspot facility . Their mail assures me that this public access will not effect my system and their will be no chance of a security breech. But my opinion of VM is such that I do not trust their assurances. I have advised I wish to opt out of the scheme , trust they will take note. I wonder , is it possible to obtain a mesh metal screen similar to a Faraday Cage which you can drop over the router when it is not in my use ?

JJ_Egan

If its like BT wifi scheme then you can turn the feature off .

keithdc

anotherbaldrick wrote: »

Yes . they intend to turn my/your property int a WiFi hotspot. Received a message from them informing me of their intention which considering the agro I have had from them is a downright insult



AS we have a main road outside with a lay-by we would have cars stopping at all times of the day and night while their occupants make unrestricted use of the hotspot facility . Their mail assures me that this public access will not effect my system and their will be no chance of a security breech. But my opinion of VM is such that I do not trust their assurances. I have advised I wish to opt out of the scheme , trust they will take note. I wonder , is it possible to obtain a mesh metal screen similar to a Faraday Cage which you can drop over the router when it is not in my use ?

I think it is a fantastic idea!


I don't think people are generally desperate enough for broadband that they would drive to some dubious lay-by to get it. However, it is convenient facility when it happens to be available.


Just wondering... if people opt out of the BT scheme, are they then prevented the facility when out and about?

DUTR

keithdc wrote: »

I think it is a fantastic idea!


I don't think people are generally desperate enough for broadband that they would drive to some dubious lay-by to get it. However, it is convenient facility when it happens to be available.


Just wondering... if people opt out of the BT scheme, are they then prevented the facility when out and about?

That is correct, I would imagine the VM scheme would be the same, not sure why the OP is sensationalising the issue, the visitor does not have access to the full bandwidth and the router owner is not affected.

Browntoa

It's a seperate signal to your own secure signal , my BT hubs done it for years , never been a problem

JJ_Egan

keithdc wrote: »

I


Just wondering... if people opt out of the BT scheme, are they then prevented the facility when out and about?

No i am not if i opt out .

DUTR

JJ_Egan wrote: »

No i am not if i opt out .

In the past users had to opt in, IIRC everyone was opted in by default and the user had to opt out.

VisionMan

Yes, my BT hubs a hot spot too. I could turn it off but its not a problem.

anotherbaldrick

keithdc wrote: »

I think it is a fantastic idea!


I don't think people are generally desperate enough for broadband that they would drive to some dubious lay-by to get it. However, it is convenient facility when it happens to be available.


Just wondering... if people opt out of the BT scheme, are they then prevented the facility when out and about?

They would not be driving here to get it, as said, we are on a main road with lay-by . Drivers passing would soon know our house was a location they could stop outside and make their calls and whatever. We could do without the noise that is going to cause.

DUTR

anotherbaldrick wrote: »

They would not be driving here to get it, as said, we are on a main road with lay-by . Drivers passing would soon know our house was a location they could stop outside and make their calls and whatever. We could do without the noise that is going to cause.

Why is the lay by there in the 1st place?
Isn't it for people to stop at for whatever reason, long before wi fi? I doubt the stop by will increase after all the user would also have to be a VM BB subscriber.

Swipe

I'd imagine there are hundreds of lay-bys in cities all over the country that have BT Wifi hotspots. I can't imagine it has increased the number of people pulling over to use the internet. Who doesn't have mobile data on their phone these days anyway? So on that basis any lay-by is fair game, hotspot or not.