Five of the country's latest cable providers have joined forces to provide their customers with access to each other's wireless hotspots, which amount to a collective 50,000.
Bright House Networks, Cablevision, Comcast, Cox Communications, and Time Warner Cable have more than 50,000 wireless hotspots in various locations across the U.S., and soon these hotspots will be available to customers of any of the five partners, via "CableWiFi," as the new network is called. Users will be able to connect to a "CableWiFi" network using the same username and password they would use to access their provider's wireless networks, and in the future they will be automatically connected to such hotspots when in range.
Implementation
"To simplify access, a new network name, 'CableWiFi,' has been created for subscribers to use when accessing the WiFi hotspots outside their home market," reads the press release. "The first implementation is already complete as Bright House Networks and Cablevision launched 'CableWiFi' alongside their branded WiFi networks in the New York City area and central Florida earlier this month. Over the next few months, the 'CableWiFi' network name will be added by each of the cable companies to their branded WiFi hotspots."
The joint venture builds upon a 2010 agreement between Cablevision, Comcast, and Time Warner Cable to make each other's hotspots available to their customers in New York City, Long Island, New Jersey, Philadelphia, and Connecticut. "This is the largest and most inclusive WiFi sharing effort among cable operators to date," adds the CableWiFi press release.
Coverage
According to the press release, the five cable operators currently provide access to over 50,000 wireless hotspots in New York City and the surrounding Tri-State area, Los Angeles, Tampa, Orlando and Philadelphia. The participating operators also plan to add more WiFi hotspots and expand into several other cities. "The network has both indoor and outdoor WiFi hotspots located in popular, high traffic locations, such as shopping districts, cafes, malls, arenas, restaurants, parks and beaches," details the press release. "Subscribers will be able to find the nearest WiFi hotspots by visiting the WiFi homepage of their current cable provider or going to www.cablewifi.com."
