Fon Wireless Explained

Fon Wireless Ltd.
Type:Private
Industry:Computer hardware
Wi-Fi service
Founder:Martín Varsavsky
Location City:Alcobendas, Community of Madrid
Key People:Alex Puregger (CEO)
Products:Wi-Fi technology and Access
Num Employees:150
Location Country:Spain

Fon Wireless Ltd. is a for-profit company incorporated and registered in the United Kingdom that provides wireless services. Fon was founded in Madrid, Spain, in 2006, by Martín Varsavsky. Today, the company is headquartered in Bilbao.[1] [2]

Fon started out by building its Wi-Fi network through devices called "foneras". Members, whom the company called "Foneros", agreed to share a part of their bandwidth as a Wi-Fi signal, so that they could connect to other members' hotspots.

As the company evolved, it shifted its focus to working with mobile operators and telecommunication providers, and expanded from deploying residential Wi-Fi to providing access and technology to carriers and service providers. Fon claims to operate a network of over 20 million WiFi hotspots.

In April 2021, Fon was acquired by Agile Content, a provider of over-the-top media services from Barcelona.[3]

Company

Subsidiaries and Investors

As of 2016, Fon website indicated it had branch offices in the United States, UK, Japan and Brazil. Its investors included Atomico Ventures, Google, Index Ventures, Sequoia Capital Skype, Qualcomm Ventures, Coral Group and telecom partners BT Group and Deutsche Telekom. .[4]

Early years

Originally, the company intended to create a network for Wi-Fi access wherever customers went. To become a Fon member, users had to buy a special router called “Fonera”. With this router, they agreed to share a part of their bandwidth as a second Wi-Fi signal, in exchange for the right to use other Fon members' hotspots. To achieve this, Fon operated a system of dual access wireless networks. In 2007, Fon's development model shifted to encompass ISPs, and it began to work on creating Wi-Fi community networks with British Telecom (BT) and SFR. In November 2007, Fon deployed its first Wi-Fi rollout and continued using this foundation with more telco partners in the years to come.

Middle years

Since its initial involvement with ISPs, Fon continued to expand its network through partnerships with local Internet service providers in countries such as Germany, Greece, Japan, and Brazil among others.

2016

In 2016 the company evolved to also include premium networks such as airports, hotels, convention centers, public spaces. Fon also has a technology to allow providers to deliver services to their own customers.

Fading out "Fon Wifi Community"

In 2020, Deutsche Telekom announced that it would be discontinuing its hotspot sharing service, citing the discontinuation of Fon's service, which had been the underlying platform for the product.[5] In the following three years, all partnerships (for "Fon Wi-Fi Community") were terminated.

The Fonera routers are end-of-life products.

Hardware and firmware

Fon initially operated with a software that could be downloaded for compatible routers, mainly Linksys routers. The firmware for this service was based on OpenWrt. The firmware had been customized specifically for use in the Fon Community, allowing consumers to share their broadband connection and to connect to other Fon Spots around the world.

Fon firmware creates two different Wi-Fi signals: one private and one public.[6]

The new 2014 Fonera SIMPL, introduced in February 2014, includes Facebook integration. The owner of the Fonera SIMPL may register their own Facebook account with the device. Once this is done, any user that is a 'Facebook Friend' of the owner is granted access to that Fonera (only).[7]

The 'Fonera Business' takes Facebook integration further by offering free WiFi to customers of a business who are asked to 'Like' the Facebook page for the business in order to gain free WiFi access.[8]

In early 2018, Fon's online shop was closed.[9]

Partnerships and collaborations

Fon claims to have the largest Wi-Fi network in the world, with over 20 million hotspots as of June 2016.[10] [11]

Partner for global "Fon Wifi Community"

Since 2020, most Fon partnerships had ended or entered a terminating phase.

Partners integrate FON-Wifi in the firmware of the existing customer routers (CPE). Only a few partners sold "Fonera" routers, but with their own company login credentials.

Awards and recognition

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Fon Website. 2024-09-08. https://web.archive.org/web/20240908192447/https://fon.com/wifi-community-network/. 2024-09-08.
  2. Web site: Fon Company Profile Management and Employees List . 2023-03-28 . Datanyze . en-US.
  3. News: Agile Content acquires Fon to boost TV technology offer . CSI Magazine . 2021-04-19 . 2024-08-12.
  4. News: Wi-Fi sharing about to get investment. cnn. 2006-02-06. 2024-09-02. Web site: Who we are . Fon . 2024-09-02 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140331095900/https://corp.fon.com/en/who-we-are . 2014-03-31 . Web site: Building a WiFi community network since 2006 (see: investor Logos) . https://web.archive.org/web/20161106225736/https://fon.com/wifi-community-network/. 2016-11-10. 2016-11-06. 2024-09-02.
  5. Web site: Telekom schafft WLAN To Go im Heimrouter ab. de. German Telekom discontinue "wlan to go" in residential routers. In long-term view our partner Fon will shutdown there service, said a speaker from the german "Deutsche Telekom".. "Unser Partner Fon wird den Service perspektivisch einstellen, sagt ein Telekom Sprecher. 2020-11-20. 2021-01-19.
  6. Web site: Fon - The Global WiFi Network providing WiFi access through hotspots . Fon . 7 December 2015 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20121117101244/http://corp.fon.com/en/this-is-fon/safe-and-secure/ . 17 November 2012 .
  7. Web site: Geolocalization - Fon. 7 December 2015.
  8. https://shop.fon.com/en/products/business-wifi{{Dead link|date=December 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
  9. Web site: "manufacture and sale of Foneras has been discontinued"; I have an old Fonera. Where can I find support documentation?. 2019-01-01. en-US. 2019-01-02. https://web.archive.org/web/20190102050631/https://support.fon.com/hc/en-us/articles/206015992-I-have-an-old-Fonera-Where-can-I-find-support-documentation-. dead.
  10. Fon announces next generation Fonera Simpl with EAP optimized for mobile devices . Business Wire . Fon . 26 February 2012 .
  11. Web site: Fon - Blog to keep you updated about the WiFi ecosystem. Fon. 7 December 2015.
  12. News: Automatic Access to Fon WiFi Hotspots for SFR customers. 2013-07-12. Fon. en-US. 2016-10-18. News: All Broadband Customers of Leading French Telco SFR to Get Automatic Access to Fon International WiFi Hotspots Service. businesswire.com. 2013-07-10. 2024-09-02.
  13. News: SFR WiFi FON. 2024-07-17. actuneuf.com. fr. 2024-08-20.
  14. Web site: NOS Wi-Fi (see footnote) . 2024-09-02 . Portuguese . https://web.archive.org/web/20200411000827/http://www.nos.pt/particulares/internet/nos-wi-fi/paginas/nos-wifi.aspx. 2020-04-11.
  15. Web site: NOS Wi-Fi. https://web.archive.org/web/20210803162240/http://www.nos.pt/particulares/internet/nos-wi-fi/paginas/nos-wifi.aspx. NOS. Portuguese. 2024-08-20. 2021-08-03. Web site: [Descontinuado] Alterações NOS Wi-Fi ]. 22 September 2021 . Portuguese . [Discontinued] Changes to NOS Wi-Fi. https://web.archive.org/web/20211020203621/https://forum.nos.pt/nos-wi-fi-46/descontinuado-alteracoes-nos-wi-fi-15482. NOS. 2021-10-20.
  16. Web site: kyanpe-n de haifu hanbaishiteita seihin no sapo-to shuuryou oyobi, komyunithi- WiFi no shuuryou no oshirase - fuxon Japan : sekai saidaikyuu no Wi - Fi sa-bisu purobaida- . Fon JP. 2020-10-30. 2024-08-20. ja:キャンペーンで配布・販売していた製品の サポート終了および、コミュニティーWiFiの終了のお知らせ - フォン・ジャパン: 世界最大級のWi-Fiサービスプロバイダー. Notice of termination of support for products distributed and sold in the campaign and termination of Community WiFi. hoshu sapo-to shuuryou ni tomonai, kaki kisai no komyunithi- WiFi mo junzi toma nami itashimasu. ... 2021 nen 2 tsuki 1 nichi ikou junzi . ja:保守サポート終了に伴い、下記記載のコミュニティーWiFiも順次停波いたします。 [...] 2021年2月1日以降順次 . With the end of maintenance support, the community WiFi described below will also be stopped sequentially [...] After 2021/2/1. ja.

    Web site: Sofutobanku ga teikyousuru Fon ru-ta- wo shiyoushite Wi - Fi wo riyousuru . softbank.jp. 2024-08-20. ja:ソフトバンクが提供するFONルーターを使用してWi-Fiを利用する . Using a FON router provided by SoftBank to use Wi-Fi . komyunithi sa-bisu Fon FREE INTERNET FON FREE EAP ha, 2021 nen 2 tsuki 1 nichi tsuki ni shuuryoushimashita. . ja:コミュニティサービス（FON FREE INTERNET / FON FREE EAP）は、2021年2月1日（月）に終了しました。 . community service (FON free internet / FON free EAP) ended IN 2021/2/1 (Mon).. ja.
  17. News: Oi Releases Shared WiFi Project in Partnership with Fon. 2011-10-31. Fon. en-US. 2016-10-18.
  18. Web site: Oi Wifi Fon. portaldeplanos.com.br . 2024-09-02. O serviço antes conhecido como Oi Wi-Fi Fon foi descontinuado.. The service formerly known as Qi Wi-Fi Fon has been discontinued.. pt., this Quote was added in year 2022 (source: compare with last version from webarchiv);
    Web site: Oi Wifi Fon. oiplano.com.br . 2024-09-02. O Oi WiFi Fon [...] não está mais disponível.. Oi WiFi Fon [...] is no longer available.. pt., this Quote was added in year 2024 (source: compare with last version from webarchiv)
  19. News: Our partner Belgacom is now Proximus - Fon. 2014-09-29. Fon. en-US. 2016-10-18.
  20. Web site: How to surf on a hotspot?. discontinue the cooperation with our international partner FON [...] Discontinuation of Wi-Fi hotspots abroad from 01/01/2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190120043045/https://www.proximus.be/support/en/id_sfaqr_hot_connect/personal/support/internet/internet-on-the-go/surf-on-a-hotspot/how-to-surf-on-a-hotspot.html . dead . 20 January 2019 . Proximus.be . 19 January 2019. EN.
  21. Web site: How to surf on a Public Wi-Fi hotspot? - Proximus. en. 2024-08-20. proximus.be. Web site: How to surf on a Public Wi-Fi hotspot? - Proximus (direct access to info). en. 2024-08-20. proximus.be.
  22. News: Fon and Netia Announce WiFi Partnership in Poland. 2012-02-28. Fon. en-US. 2016-10-18.
  23. News: Service in Belgium and Poland. 2019-01-24. Fon. en-US. 2020-03-09.
  24. News: KPN and Fon Roll Out WiFi Network In The Netherlands. 2014-07-04. Fon. en-US. 2016-10-18.
  25. News: KPN ends Fon Hotspots In The Netherlands. 2020-04-01. KPN. https://web.archive.org/web/20200413100328/https://www.kpn.com/internet/wifi-hotspots/gratis-wifi-met-fon.htm/. 2020-04-13. nl-NL .
  26. News: Telekom-Fon network is now being deployed in Germany! - Fon. 2013-06-03. Fon. en-US. 2016-10-18.
  27. Web site: WLAN TO GO - Kosten, Anmeldung, Sicherheit - Telekom . 2021-03-23 . 2021-01-20 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210120234609/https://www.telekom.de/hilfe/mobilfunk-mobiles-internet/mobiles-internet-e-mail/wlan-to-go . dead. telekom.de . News: AW: Das Ende von WLAN-To-GO . de-DE. AW: The End of WLAN-TO-GO. 2 December 2020. 2021-01-20. https://web.archive.org/web/20210120234609/https://www.telekom.de/hilfe/mobilfunk-mobiles-internet/mobiles-internet-e-mail/wlan-to-go. dead. telekom.de .
  28. Web site: Fon and DT's Croatian Telecom Launch Co-Branded Extension to the World's Largest Crowdsourced WiFi Network. 2013-02-05. 2024-09-02. netocratic.com. Web site: Press-Details - Hrvatski Telekom d.d.. 2013-02-05. 2024-09-02. t.ht.hr.
  29. FON said: Fonera router are not produced since 2015. Currently (year 2024) no information about FON, on there Website. Only an old AGB for Hotspot FON (file-date 2015) and an ADSL Apply-form (file-date 2019), which still offers a Fonera-Router.
  30. Web site: HotSpot Fon ponuda. https://web.archive.org/web/20150325063217/https://www.hrvatskitelekom.hr/internet/hot-spot-fon/ponuda?ssoChecked=True. 2024-09-02. 2015-03-25. HotSpot Fon device. hrvatskitelekom.ht.
  31. News: Fon, OTE Rolls Out a Crowdsourced WiFi Network in Greece. 2014-12-04. Fon. en-US. 2016-10-18.
  32. Web site: Σταδιακή κατάργηση cosmote wifi fon . ADSLgr.com Community Forum. Phasing out cosmote wifi fon. Μετά από τηλεφωνική επικοινωνία με την υποστήριξη της κοσμοτέ, μου ανακοίνωσαν πως την κλείνουν αυτή την υπηρεσία σιγά σιγά. After a phone call to the support of κοσmote, they told me that they are slowly closing this service.. 2022-03-29. 2024-08-20.
    ; New residential router does not have FON-function.Web site: Which router equipment is compatible with COSMOTE WiFi?. 2024-08-20. EN.
  33. News: Fon Partners with Telekom to Launch Free-of-Charge WiFi Service to the World's Largest WiFi Network - Fon. 2016-04-05. Fon. en-US. 2016-10-18.
  34. Web site: Igénybe tudom venni a Telekom Wi-Fi FON szolgáltatást? . https://web.archive.org/web/20220205102139/https://www.telekom.hu/lakossagi/ugyintezes/gyakori-kerdesek/4212/igenybe_tudom_venni_a_telekom_wi_fi_fon_szolgaltatast__?appid=tudasbazis&tudasbazis-eventType=8. 2022-02-05. hu-HU. 2021-08-21. telekom.hu.
  35. News: MWEB and Fon to build South Africa's largest WiFi network. 2014-01-16. Fon. en-US. 2016-10-18.
  36. News: Mweb's Fon network is dead – MyBroadband. 2024-05-13. mybroadband.co.za. en. 2024-08-20.
  37. News: Telstra and Fon Start Rolling Out Telstra Air. 2015-06-26. Fon. en-US. 2016-10-18.
  38. Web site: Telstra Air / Fon - still a thing?. en-au. 2024-08-20. Forum whirlpool.net.au. Web site: Back to Square one with trying to deactivate Telst... - Telstra CrowdSupport - 940018. https://web.archive.org/web/20210925163029/https://crowdsupport.telstra.com.au/t5/telstra-air/back-to-square-one-with-trying-to-deactivate-telstra-air/td-p/940018#M4525. 2024-08-20. 2021-09-25. crowdsupport.telstra.com.au.
  39. News: Vodafone Spain and Italy will join Fon's global WiFi network. 2015-04-22. Fon. en-US. 2016-10-18.
  40. Web site: fin - Descomercialización WiFi . 2018-08-08. https://web.archive.org/web/20180808184958/http://vodafonewifi.es/ . End WiFi decommercialisation. 2024-08-20. es. vodafonewifi.es . News: Vodafone WiFi cierra definitivamente: adiós a _AUTO_ONOWiFi y _ONOWIFI [Vodafone WiFi y ONO WiFi ]]. Vodafone WiFi closes for good: goodbye to _AUTO_ONOWiFi and _ONOWIFI [Vodafone WiFi & ONO WiFi ]. 2018-03-09. 2024-08-20. es. Vodafone WiFi cierra definitivamente a partir del próximo 31 de marzo en un proceso progresivo que ya está siendo comunicado a los clientes. . Vodafone WiFi will close definitively as of 31 March in a progressive process that is being process that is already being communicated to customers.. adslzone.net .
  41. Web site: Vodafone Wi-Fi Community. 2024-08-20. it. vodafone.it.
  42. News: Gramofon wins "Best WiFi Innovation Service" award - Fon. 2014-10-13. Fon. en-US. 2016-10-18.

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