Boardband, Yes I've spelt it right! (1 Viewer)

[Brakers]

Hi MHer’s

I am coming to the end of my broadband contract with Virgin and I was wondering if you good people can help me decide. I’m thinking of going to BT so I can use their Fon system which I understand it can be used in the UK as well as some parts of Europe with an amplifier.

I tried to search for a Fon box to link to my router but can’t seem to find any and BT don’t supply them anymore, unless you go with them for broadband.

So I would like to know from you chaps if you have heard any reports or used this system when you are away and if so how you rated it, or if you think it’s worth going with them to get this possible extra way of connecting without paying.

 

[Puddleduck]

I have used FON when away - good in populated areas as one would expect. Where there are plenty of free wifi spots available anyway!!

You need to be quite close to the BT wifi router to pick up a signal so it can look a bit suspicious if you are standing or sitting outside a property with a FON router for a while. I have had someone ask me what I was up to.

You can't rely on picking up a FON signal. I have a plug in dongle thing for the laptop that works far more often than BT's FON is remote areas.

 

[Brakers]

You need to be quite close to the BT wifi router to pick up a signal

Hi Puddleduck
I think you can get better signal if you are at a distance from houses with one of these, or so they say

Have you had the option of using it abroad or not.
Best Wishes Tony

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Brakers]

You can't rely on picking up a FON signal

I must admit I would not rely on picking up a signal, just use it as another way I might be able to get online without paying.

 

[Puddleduck]

Yes, they work. We haven't been abroad as I have elderly parents who panic if I need to get a plane to get to them. They were bad enough when we were in Norfolk!

 

[Lenny HB]

As you have found out Fon no longer sell their stand alone router so you have to go to BT. We find Fon very good in France and have some success in Spain & Portugal. Some members appear to have problems with logging onto Fon with a BT account, we never have any problems but we are not BT customers and have the separate Fon router.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Brakers]

but we are not BT customers and have the separate Fon router.

Hi Lenny
Someone said a while ago I might be able to get a Fon route from Spain, I was put
Off as I didn’t know if I could register it with Fon or BT or whoever you are meant to register it with.

If I could get a second hand one do you think I would be able to use it.
By the way it’s nice to hear that you use the Fon system fairly regularly and in Europe.
Best Wishes Tony

 

[Brakers]

Here is one site I've found,
Link Removed

Here is one I found on Ebay what do you think?
Link Removed

Best Wishes Tony

 

[Lenny HB]

I don't know if you could register it, I think when I bought mine a code was supplied with it you used together with the serial number to register and setup an account on their website.
The American routers look different to the European ones maybe they are the older version, if they have been made for the American market I think it would be unlikely you could register them in Europe.

Your best bet would be to find a S/H European one and buy only by if the seller will pass on their Fon account details to you, they could change the password first if needed.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Allanm]

We bought a Fon router a while ago then had BT broadband, so, we have the choice of both networks.
At the moment, we are using an iboost system to pick up a Fon signal from a couple of km away. It's a brilliant system, but doesn't work everyywhere.
You don't walk around with a Fon router trying to pick up a signal, you pick up Fon or BT wifi on your device as a wifi network.

 

[Reallyretired]

We've had a new BT router, the high powered one advertised by some plonker hanging from a helicopter, and I notice that FON no longer seems to be on it though it was on the old one.

 

[Brakers]

I notice that FON no longer seems to be on it though it was on the old one.

Hi Reallyretired That does not sound too good, so it sound even if I join BT I won't be able to use the Fon network.
Best Wishes Tony

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Lenny HB]

Just had a look at the BT site no mention of Fon with any of their current products.

 

[DanielFord]

Just had a look at the BT site no mention of Fon with any of their current products.

All BT routers still have a second open access wifi, that the public can use. That actually annoys me, because you don't actually realise you are hosting a public network until you delve into the settings!
Anyway, I believe they are still offering the service, perhaps under a different name?

 

[tonyidle]

PC Pro Customer Satisfaction scores:

We won’t provide the full scoring as you should really buy the magazine for that, but here’s a rough summary of the overall satisfaction scores.

PC Pro’s 2016 Best Broadband ISP Survey

1. Zen Internet (95%)
2. Broken Link Removed (79%)
3. Broken Link Removed (76%)
4. Broken Link Removed (60%)
5. Broken Link Removed (59%)
6. Broken Link Removed (57%)
7. Broken Link Removed (55%)

Strangely I'm with Zen. Zero complaints about them from me over the last 5 years. I find it hard to understand why anyone would choose any of the 'big' providers.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Lenny HB]

All BT routers still have a second open access wifi, that the public can use. That actually annoys me, because you don't actually realise you are hosting a public network until you delve into the settings!
Anyway, I believe they are still offering the service, perhaps under a different name?

I got the impression that is for a BT Hotspot and they only allow you to access BT hotspots not Fon

 

[maison]

I can't comment directly on the question asked but would warn that BT have the worst Customer Support of any company we have dealt with. (Our problems outlined in threads elsewhere on the Forum).

We used BT hotspots in U.K. But we're happy to lose them in order to get better customer service.

 

[Lenny HB]

I can't comment directly on the question asked but would warn that BT have the worst Customer Support of any company we have dealt with. (Our problems outlined in threads elsewhere on the Forum).

We used BT hotspots in U.K. But we're happy to lose them in order to get better customer service.

Totally agree that is why I stick with Plusnet, they may be BT owned but operate independently and their customer service is excellent.
I've had a few run-ins with BT they swear blind the fault is your end it's your equipment and they will charge £150 to come out if it's your and all the time the fault is at their exchange.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[TheDogMan]

You may regret moving from Virgin based on speed, I had to call out virgin twice once for a box fault and once for weeds in the connection box outside no charge !!!

 

[DanielFord]

I got the impression that is for a BT Hotspot and they only allow you to access BT hotspots not Fon

You could very well be correct on that.

 

[denisejoe]

We use SFR Fon when in France using our BT broadband details. It's not always easy to pick up but if you are anywhere near houses you can usually pick it up with a wifi booster.

Denise

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Reallyretired]

I was not happy about the amount BT was charging me, so I phoned them, got a cheaper rate and my speed boosted from around 20Mb/s to 50Mb/s + the new router. They're not all bad.