Fon (company)
| Fon Wireless Ltd.
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| legal form | Ltd. |
| founding | 2005 |
| Seat | Madrid |
| management |
Martin Varsavsky (CEO) Jordi Vallejo (CTO) Antonio Fuentes (CFO) |
| Branch | telecommunications |
| Website | fon.com |
Fon is a company founded in November 2005 under English law with its registered office in Madrid , which has set itself the goal of installing hotspots as widely as possible worldwide .
Fon does not install and operate the hotspots itself, but relies on people who want to make their unused broadband Internet access available via WLAN when setting up the network . In return, these people receive free access to the other Fon hotspots worldwide.
Non-Fon members can purchase tickets to use the hotspots. In the first usage model, active Fon members were involved in ticket sales, but this was discontinued.
The Internet connection at the private Fon hotspots is unstable, as only the unused bandwidth is passed on.
The sale of own devices was stopped in 2018. Apparently, the focus is only on cooperation. These cooperation partners are u. a. DSL providers who integrate the Fon WLAN into their own router models. However, these exclusive contracts mean that you are bound to individual telecommunications providers nationwide.
Companies
Fon Wireless, Ltd. is the London registered company of the company with headquarters in Madrid . Founder and managing director is the Madrid-based entrepreneur Martin Varsavsky . The German branch is Fon Germany GmbH in Munich. Investors include Google and eBay as well as Index Ventures and, with a share of only 1%, Sequoia , which invested over 18 million euros in Fon at the beginning of 2006 and subsequently . According to an article in the Berliner Zeitung, the "start-up costs for Fon [...] were EUR 100 million". Due to the lack of economic success of the German team, the German Fon branch has meanwhile been closed and the team completely dissolved.
In spring 2008, the company parted with 40 of its 100 employees. Martin Varsavsky justifies this step with a monthly loss of more than 1 million euros, which the layoffs reduced to 350,000 euros a month. In October 2008, Fon increased the prices for single day tickets by 67% from 3 to 5 euros.
The company has set itself the task of gaining enough users around the world until a worldwide, functional WLAN is set up. This process takes place both through cooperation with well-known Internet service providers and through viral marketing, among other things, within the blogosphere . In total there are users from over 140 countries. The weekly growth was once given as 20,000 to 30,000 members, but now, according to Francofon, a persistent decline in users occurs. This is contradicted by the coverage map issued by the company, which shows very good coverage for Great Britain and Belgium, two countries that do not appear at all in Francofon's list.
Cooperations
Internet service provider
The cooperation with Internet service providers is based on the granting of mutual login rights (roaming network) so that a worldwide network can be set up.
In 2007, cooperation was concluded with the BT Group in the United Kingdom and with SFR (then Neuf Cegetel ) in France, the second largest telecommunications company there. In the same year in the USA with Time Warner , which means that 6.6 million broadband users can become Fon-WLan operators themselves.
Cooperation partners since 2008 in Russia are Comstar , the leading ISP in Moscow and in Portugal with ZON, the leading broadband provider there, which emerged from the former state monopoly.
In 2013, a cooperation with Telekom Deutschland was concluded under the name WLAN TO GO.
Added in the years 2012–2015: Internet service providers from the Netherlands, Croatia, Hungary, Greece, Romania, Spain, Italy, Brazil and Australia
Local cooperation (until 2008)
There was a program for building hotspots in cities:
In 2007, a total of 500 billboards were fitted with Fon hotspots in Oslo. In Manhattan there is a collaboration with CBS outdoor (a billboard company, now Outfront Media).
In Málaga (2008) the city council supported the installation of Fon hotspots. In an agreement with the city of Geneva, cooperation was agreed and several hundred WLAN access points were set up in the city.
Other local projects (2008): In the Glockenbachviertel in Munich, in Chueca in Madrid, in Japan ( Tokyo ) and in Barcelona, where up to 700 kiosk terminals will be installed starting in April 2008. The first local project took place in Blanquefort, France. Other French initiatives so far have been Massy and Paray Le Monial, a Christian pilgrimage site with many millions of visitors every year. The Italian authorities have now recognized the SMS identification initiated by Fon as compliant with the law, which is why the cooperation with the University of Urbino has now started.
Smaller collaborations (until 2009)
In 2006 Sony sold its handheld Mylo (2006) together with the La Fonera through its web shop in Japan . In Japan, that could se handheld devices the Fon network used free of charge, regardless of Fonero (ie active participation).
Portals accessible free of charge: 2008, the Taiwanese Internet portal (?) Youthwant.com (1.8 million users), can be reached free of charge at all “La Fonera” hotspots. The registered users should also have been taken over as passive Fon users. In addition, a few other websites were accessible free of charge: Google, gmail, youtube, Playstation, Wii, skype, Flickr
Cooperation agreements with existing WLAN networks such as RomaWireless .
In 2009 Fon entered into a cooperation with the former mobile communications provider E-Plus . The shops were equipped with Fon hotspots and “La Fonera” routers were offered at reduced prices. During a promotional period, E-Plus customers around the world were able to use the Fon hotspots free of charge.
Internet access
Internet access via Fon is possible for anyone who has a WLAN-enabled device and is within range of a Fon access point.
The speed of Internet access is very variable and variable. It can also suddenly stop completely. Since the Fon-WLAN is mostly operated by private persons, they usually only pass on their unused Internet bandwidth. Which means: If the WLAN owner himself needs his full Internet connection (e.g. a large download), all WLAN guests (for this time) are disconnected.
Access options are:
- Free of charge for active participants who in turn provide their own Internet access via Fon (so-called "Foneros").
- Via purchased tickets (24-hour tickets or, depending on the cooperation partner, day / week / month ticket)
- via one of the cooperation partners (e.g. a special hotspot flat rate as part of a mobile phone tariff)
Internet access is not globally standardized. In France, for example, only HTTP connections are possible with the cooperation partner Neuf Cegetel , but e-mails can not be accessed with conventional programs (as of 2008).
In some countries there is a short, time-limited trial access (not with Telekom_FON).
For active participation, i.e. for sharing your own Internet access via Fon, also known as DSL sharing, you need to operate a Fon access point. In return, you get access to the entire Fon network. The active participants were also called "Foneros".
Fonera router
Fon used to offer several of its own router models. The La Fonera routers could be purchased through the official website. As with other providers, the hardware was sold at reduced prices with time-limited offers.
In March 2013, the sale of the devices in Germany was stopped (as has since been done in other countries). Finally, sales were completely discontinued in 2018. Since then, new users have been tied to the local cooperation partners.
Existing German users of the “La Fonera” routers have been listed as Spaniards since 2013 and continue to have access to the Fon network (with the exception of the 2006 models).
Situation in Germany
In Germany, the cooperation partner is Deutsche Telekom, under the term "WLAN TO GO".
An internet connection from Deutsche Telekom and a supported Speedport router are required for active participation .
The following hotspots are available to German WLAN-TO-GO customers free of charge:
- Telekom HotSpots in Germany with (SSID: Telekom, SSID: Telekom_ICE)
- WLAN-TO-GO-HotSpots in Germany (SSID: Telekom_FON)
- Fon HotSpots worldwide
To share your own WLAN, you have access to the entire Fon network.
The router's additional WLAN network is called "Telekom_FON" and can be used by other participants in the Fon network. Your own Internet traffic is preferred, so that no speed restriction should be noticeable. In addition, a separate IP address is used to avoid liability claims against the connection owner.
In addition to active use, passive use is also possible, e.g. B. Ticket purchase or mobile phone tariffs with a suitable "hotspot flat rate".
Use of third-party routers
Alternatively, compatible routers can also be equipped with the Fon firmware , which is also available there and updates itself automatically. Compatible routers include some Linksys- made variants of the WRT54G and some models from Buffalo Technology .
Usage models
The classic “La Fonera” users can theoretically choose between three different usage models. However, this selection is restricted from country to country. In Japan, for example, you cannot become a bill.
Linus
The user type Linus , named after Linus Torvalds , makes his Internet access available to other members free of charge with the help of a Fon router (or Fon firmware for his existing router). In return, he receives free access to the access points of all other Fon members. Fon also sells day tickets via LINUS access points.
Bill
The user type Bill also shares his Internet access, but would like to earn additional money (the prerequisite for this is that the respective provider permits commercial use of the Internet connection). He receives a share of 50% (minus taxes and fees) of the day tickets purchased via his access point, for which Fon sets the fee, which is only paid out when he exceeds a limit of 20 euros. In any case, Fon retains 50%. In the event that this limit is not reached, the company will benefit 100%. If the user of the access has bought the day tickets via another access point, the bill receives no payment for the use of his access point. Like users of the Linus type, Bills may also use external Fon hotspots for free internet access.
The origin of the name 'Bill' is not clear. Fon boss Martin Varsavsky first said that 'Bill' refers to Bill Gates . Fon employees claim, however, that "Bill" refers to the English noun "bill" ("bill"). According to the interview with the Electric Reporter, both interpretations are possible for Fon's head of Europe, Robert Lang .
Alien
Aliens (English alien - foreign, based on the term for foreigners in Anglo-American parlance) are those users who do not operate their own Fon access point. Aliens have to purchase so-called "day tickets" from Fon for Internet access at hotspots from Fon members . The start page explains the procedure to the aliens. You can currently pay with credit card, PayPal and in 8 countries (including Germany) with premium SMS .
Passive use
Situation in Germany
Daily, weekly or monthly tickets can be bought in Germany. The tariffs are the same as for regular Telekom hotspots.
Some mobile phone tariffs include a suitable “hotspot flat rate” for the Telekom hotspot “Telekom_FON” (does not belong to the worldwide Fon network).
Comparison with similar models
Freifunk is a non-commercial citizen network that can be used free of charge and without registration. While Fon operates a network of wired hotspots, Freifunker use the technology of a wireless meshed network .
Reception and problems
Legal situation
One problem is the legal situation with regard to the use of Internet access. Internet access from the major Internet service providers in Germany has so far generally not been allowed to be made permanently available to third parties. Today, however, some German Internet service providers allow free or non- commercial sharing of Internet access (ie in the "Linus" model from Fon ). Commercial use (in the “Bill” model) is currently problematic or impossible with many German providers, even if some of the largest German providers have so far tolerated its use.
The service provided by Fon has been duly notified, registered and published to the Federal Network Agency in accordance with applicable law. There may also be an obligation to notify the Federal Network Agency of the provision of services in accordance with Section 6 of the Telecommunications Act , according to which each individual location must be reported.
On June 5, 2009, the Cologne Higher Regional Court ruled that commercial WiFi sharing violated competition law. Fon appealed against the judgment to the BGH. The case was not negotiated there, however, as Fon and 1 & 1 reached an out-of-court settlement the day before the hearing.
The legal responsibility of those who make their Internet access available to other users, including via Fon, had not been conclusively clarified in Germany for a long time. Since 2017, the problem of " liability for interference " has been largely resolved.
In addition to logging the users' login data, Fon also logs the DNS calls so that damage caused by third parties can often be clearly assigned. Deutsche Telekom uses an IP address that is separate from the connection for the private hotspot.
safety
- Fon does not offer the user the option of encrypting the WLAN data transmission of the public signal (neither WEP, WPA nor VPN tunnel). All transmitted data (including user names, passwords and emails) can therefore be read by third parties with the help of appropriate software without (optional) end-to-end encryption in the reception area. The classic Fon routers ("La Fonera") send two separate SSIDs , one public and one encrypted for secure private access.
- An anonymous use is contractually excluded.
- The installation address of the hotspot is available to everyone. A road map is available on which the exact geographic location and its surroundings are displayed. The name, on the other hand, is not publicly available if it is not explicitly specified.
usability
La Fonera is a full-fledged WiFi router. Fon contractually obliges the purchaser of the hardware to operate it exclusively with the firmware approved by Fon in order to be able to participate in the Fon network. Transferring the firmware by unauthorized third-party firmware is made more difficult by the use of electronic signatures . The firmware is a derivative of OpenWrt under the GPL and is freely downloadable in accordance with this license. Fon tries to prevent the use of modified firmware on the router.
Web links
- Fon website of the company
- Fon is the global WiFi network self-presentation there
- The living room pro from the vider article by Janko Röttgers in the period of February 22, 2006
- Articles by Fiete Stegers on tagesschau.de from May 20, 2006 surf with Bill and Linus worldwide
- Making Profits with WiFi Socialism Interview with Martin Varsavsky at SPON on September 3, 2006
- Share and surf Critical report by Chris Köver on legal problems in the period of March 2nd, 2007
- Invisible neighborhood help Technical FAZ article by Fritz Jörn from Tuesday, April 24, 2007
- FON reacts to criticism of anonymous trial access Article by Reiko Kaps on heise online from July 4th, 2007
- Hacking the La Fonera article on the technology of the router by Stefan Tomanek from August 14, 2009 ( English )
Individual evidence
- ↑ Mark Kanne: FON: Worldwide WLAN Community ( Memento of the original from July 18, 2006 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. at Readers Edition, June 15, 2006
- ↑ Rhein Zeitung online: Ex-9Live boss zu Salm joins the Internet startup Fon , February 7, 2006
- ↑ Thomas H. Wendel: The cell phone companies take customers off. In: Berliner Zeitung . November 4, 2006, accessed June 8, 2015 .
- ↑ cf. Fon blog: "Martin Varsavsky's advice to other start-up CEOs", October 26, 2008 ( Memento of the original from October 29, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ cf. Fon blog: "Price changes for day tickets" ( Memento of the original from October 24, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Research on FON user numbers ( memento of the original from November 1, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Fon coverage map
- ↑ WLAN community FON lands a big coup. Retrieved January 7, 2019 .
- ↑ Om Malik: FON, Time Warner deal confirmed. Retrieved April 23, 2007; Retrieved January 7, 2019 (American English).
- ↑ Time Warner goes WiFi with Fon | FierceWireless. Retrieved January 13, 2019 .
- ↑ COMSTAR and FON jointly set up a global WLAN network for Russia. Accessed January 7, 2019 (German).
- ↑ ZON is a new partner of the FON WLAN community in Portugal. Accessed January 7, 2019 (German).
- ↑ Telekom is rolling out the WLAN carpet: 2.5 million new HotSpots in Germany by 2016
- ↑ heise online: FON wants to expand radio network in German cities. Retrieved January 7, 2019 .
- ^ FON City Germany. March 9, 2010, accessed January 13, 2019 .
- ↑ OSLO-City: 500 FON radio billboards | FON blog. December 5, 2008, accessed January 13, 2019 .
- ↑ Big News: SONY goes the same way with FON . FON blog. March 16, 2007. Archived from the original on May 3, 2009. Retrieved January 12, 2014.
- ↑ SourceCode ((free access to individual services at the hotspot, without registration, status 2008)): whitelist.dnsmasq in trunk / fon / coova / files - fon-ng. Retrieved January 13, 2019 .
- ↑ Gmail and other Google products have open access at all Fonspots · Martin Varsavsky | English. Retrieved January 7, 2019 (American English).
- ↑ SONY PSP® x FON cooperation starts today in Japan. August 25, 2008, accessed on January 13, 2019 (German).
- ↑ Eplus - FON Wiki Beta. November 27, 2009, accessed January 13, 2019 .
- ↑ E-Plus shops become Fon hotspots - Golem.de. Retrieved January 13, 2019 (German).
- ↑ You cannot log in to FON hotspots | Telekom help. Retrieved January 7, 2019 .
- ^ All you need to know as a Fon Visitor. Retrieved January 13, 2019 (American English).
- ↑ heise online: Fon with its own WLAN router , September 19, 2006
- ^ "Fonera * Excluding United Kingdom, Croatia, The Netherlands, Russia, Germany and Greece" Welcome the newest Fonera: Now with Facebook functionality. In: Fon: The global WiFi network. October 23, 2013. Retrieved January 3, 2019 (American English).
- ↑ "manufacture and sale of Foneras has been discontinued"; I have an old Fonera. Where can I find support documentation? Retrieved January 1, 2019 (American English).
- ↑ Telekom promises 2.5 million new WLAN hotspots
- ↑ Information from Telekom on WLAN-TO-Go
- ↑ WLAN TO GO - largest hotspot network in the world . telekom.de. Archived from the original on December 30, 2013. Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved January 12, 2014.
- ↑ Free hotspots: Network overview | Telekom help. Retrieved January 13, 2019 .
- ↑ WiFiNetnews by Glenn Fleishmann
- ↑ Fon Wireless, Ltd .: FON-AGB ( Memento of the original from September 28, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (PDF; 40 kB) , see point 8 Economic provisions for bills , linked on June 14, 2007
- ↑ Since June 12, 2007; Before that, the bills were excluded from roaming and had to purchase day tickets from Fon for 2 euros .
- ^ Fon Wireless, Ltd .: Fiesta Fonera! There are 3 important news about FON ( Memento of the original from June 14, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , Article in the German Fon blog, June 12, 2007
- ↑ Martin Varsavsky: A Dream Come True ( Memento of August 12, 2006 in the Internet Archive ) , explanation of the company founder at the “Les Blogs 2.0” conference, December 6, 2005, Paris, English
- ↑ Fon Wireless, Ltd .: BILLs ( Memento of the original from November 7, 2006 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , Article in the German Fon blog, July 11, 2006
- ↑ Deutsche Telekom AG: This is how Germany's largest WLAN works. Retrieved January 3, 2019 .
- ↑ Fabian Schmieder: Free funk for everyone? Legal shallows when operating public WiFi hotspots. c't 7/07, p. 208
- ↑ OLG Cologne, judgment of June 5, 2009 , Az. 6 U 223/08, full text.
- ↑ Heise online: Cologne Higher Regional Court: Commercial WLAN sharing violates competition law , July 8, 2009
- ↑ Mantz, Reto: Comment on OLG Cologne, judgment of June 5, 2009 - 6 U 223/08: Unfairness of the business model of FON, MMR 2009, 695
- ↑ Fon and 1und1 put legal dispute over WLAN sharing at heise.de, June 21, 2011, last accessed August 13, 2016.
