Nokia Music Store customers can get free access to it over wi-fi after it signed a deal with The Cloud. The deal gives free access through The Cloud’s 7,500 wi-fi hotspots.
The deal means that Music Store customers with wi-fi handsets and laptops can connect to The Cloud and browse the millions of tracks on Music Store without having to pay their operators’ browsing rates.
Aside from the obvious financial benefits, customers will also get faster, more reliable connections than on operators’ 3G networks, meaning quick and easy downloads.
The Cloud’s wi-fi hotspots are in all sorts of places such as McDonalds, Coffee Republic, airports and the Square Mile in London. It’s already done deals to offer free wi-fi access to iPhone users and O2 and Orange customers. If it keeps growing at this rate, soon no-one will ever need pay for wireless broadband internet again…
Remember a while back we told you about how Vyke was set to team up with wi-fi provider The Cloud? Of course you do, and you will no doubt be happy to learn that the deal is now officially in place and the service is available now.
Just to recap, this means that if you have an unlimited data contract and install Vyke’s mobile VoIP client on your handset you can use any of The Cloud’s 9,500 hotspots across the country to make VoIP calls. You don’t need a separate account for access with The Cloud and seeing as coverage from the provider is pretty widespread in built-up areas, chances are that if you are a city dweller in the UK there will be ample opportunities to make use of this.
The Cloud has its fingers in more than a few mobile pies now most notably with the iPhone and we have a feeling that as wi-fi and VoIP functions become increasingly common place on mobiles, The Cloud is a name that will crop up ever more frequently. Remember folks, do check your operator’s stance on mobile VoIP before trying to install Vyke and make sure you have an unlimited data contract too.
Orange has just signed a deal with wi-fi provider, The Cloud to make the companies 7,500 UK hotspots available to Orange users. The deal is aimed at satisfying the needs of business customers who will be able to access the points via their existing Orange Business Everywhere data cards.
Orange has already snuggled up to BT OpenZone, France Telecom and WeRoam to provide broader wi-fi access to its customers so this move is pretty much in keeping with its existing strategy. Combined, Orange customers now have access to more than 10,000 wi-fi hotspots.
The Cloud is no stranger to mobile network providers either having already brokered a deal with O2 to offer wi-fi access to iPhone users. Let’s hope those hotspots don’t get too crowded.
(Via Orange)
Apple has confirmed that its version 1.1.2 iPhone firmware update will be released internationally today, in time for new iPhone users in Europe.
According to Pocket-Link, new UK and European iPhone users who sync their devices with iTunes tomorrow in the starts, will be offered the chance to upgrade to the new firmware.
It will do a number of things, namely let UK owners access The Cloud wi-fi hotspots in the UK, and perhaps most controversially stop people using the TIFF exploit used to jailbreak and install third-party applications. There’s also wider language support for international keyboard and special character keys.
What Apple didn’t confirm was whether this update would re-lock any already unlocked iPhones.
[Via Pocket Lint]
Apple’s PR site has just been updated with the iPhone UK press release, which 100% confirms that the company has done a deal to offer free wi-fi access at The Cloud’s 7,500 hotspots across the country. The release states that:
‘In a market first, free unlimited use of the UK’s largest single public Wi-Fi network, covering over 7,500 cafes, restaurants, airport lounges, pubs and other locations across the UK.’
This is indeed a hugely surprising — and hugely welcome move — by Apple. The iPhone’s lack of 3G networking pales away slightly when you consider the implications of UK-wide free wi-fi. To find out more about The Cloud’s services, and to find hotspots in your area, head over to the company’s site here.
