Telecom provider Romtelecom, part of Deutsche Telekom’s OTE, has launched the Fon global public WiFi network in Romania, which allows Romtelecom’s clients free internet access via 13 million access points from around the world.

The Fon option, which can be activated upon request also for the company’s existing customers, is available for Romtelecom subscribers who have a Huawei HG 658 router, which allows sharing the access to their own WiFi connection from home.

“This is an accessible alternative available to all the company’s customers who need online access in their travels around the country or abroad. In other words, a customer who shares his own Internet connection from home will have, in his turn, access to the fixed Internet provided by others within the Fon community", said Mathias Hannel, Chief Commercial Officer – Residential Segment Romtelecom and Cosmote Romania.

Access credentials are available to users in each subscriber’s MyAccount, after he gives consent to open the access to their connection. The Internet in the Fon network can be accessed with any device connected through WiFi to FonSpot, by opening a browser and entering the authentication personal data. The smartphone or tablet users can also use the free Fon application available in the AppStore and Google Play. The app allows automatic connection to the nearest FonSpot available.

Fon is a public network of WiFi access to Internet which currently has over 13 million WiFi hotspots around the world. The Fon community members are those customers who agree to share their home WiFi connection with other members of the community. This is possible by separating in two networks the WiFi that the customer already has: the private, personal one and the public one.

The new move by Romtelecom and Fon comes as competition for the WiFi network managed by competitor RCS & RDS, which runs over 2,400 WiFi hotspots throughout Romania.

editor@romania-insider.com