Posted: 09th Feb, 2010 By: MarkJ

BT has reached its goal of building a million-strong Wi-Fi Hotspot network, making it the largest network of its kind in the UK and Ireland. BT Wi-Fi users are also on track to spend more than a billion minutes online this year, thanks in no small part to the growth of iPhone users.
The estate includes:
• Circa 860,000 BT FON hotspots: These are public Wi-Fi hotspots broadcast [shared] by [fixed line broadband customers with] BT Home Hubs.
• Circa 137,000 BT Business Hubs broadcasting a BT Openzone public Wi-Fi signal.
• Circa 3,800 BT Openzone hotspots in popular UK and Ireland locations including hotels, coffee shops, major city centres, airport lounges and terminals and marinas.
Gavin Patterson, CEO of BT Retail, said:
"Whether at home, at work or when out and about, wireless access is central to keeping people and communities better connected. We’ve grown from 500,000 to one million hotspots within six months, and will continue add more to meet demand from smart-phone, laptop, iPod and now e-reader users."
Five million BT consumer and business broadband – plus BT Mobile Broadband - customers have inclusive Wi-Fi minutes in their contracts to surf, work or make cheaper VoIP calls. Casual users can buy access from as little as 1/2p per minute.
BT Openzone customers can access a further 65,000 hotspots in the UK and overseas through international roaming partners. BT FON members have access to another 225,000 FON (hot) spots in the UK and worldwide.