While Google and Facebook are looking at ways of bringing online more users, especially in developing markets, Microsoft has a bold Internet-related plan of its own, which involves keeping you connected at all times, even when you’re traveling.
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The company is working on a Microsoft WiFi product that will offer users access to more than 10 million wireless hotspots in 130 countries, Fortune reports. Unsurprisingly, Microsoft WiFi will work on various platforms, not just Windows 10 or Windows Phone. The service will be compatible with iPhone, Android, Mac, and anything else that can connect to the Internet, as long as the customer is eligible.
Microsoft isn’t ready to spill all details on the service, but it did confirm it’s working on this particular product. “We can confirm that we are working on a new service, called Microsoft WiFi, that will bring hassle-free Wi-Fi to millions,” a Microsoft spokesperson told VentureBeat, after the blog found details about the product on microsoftwifi.com. “We look forward to sharing additional detail when available.”
“Don’t waste time filling forms with personal information or managing different carriers to get connected. Sign in once and you are done: you will automatically be connected to a vast range of Wi-Fi providers around the world,” Microsoft’s website said, before being removed.
The service seems to be similar to Microsoft’s Skype WiFi, a tool that offers paying Skype customers access to two million Wi-Fi hotspots around the world.
However, Microsoft WiFi will have different strings attached. To get free access to it, users would still have to pay for it by purchasing a certain Microsoft product, at least initially.
Skype WiFi subscribers, employees or organizations that have an active Microsoft Office 365 for Enterprise subscription and customers who have a special Wi-Fi offer from Microsoft will be eligible for Microsoft WiFi at first.
