End clap for Free WiFi, the service is closed!
It’s the end of an era. A time when we exchanged Free codes with friends to access the nearest Free WiFi network and enjoy a free Internet connection. Free WiFi is now buried. The operator has just cut this community service, which allowed Free subscribers to connect to another nearby Free box if needed.
Already absent from the Freebox Pop, Free WiFi is no longer available on the Freebox Delta and Freebox One, as well as on the Freebox Revolution and Mini 4K. Clearly, on all the operator’s boxes. As a reminder, le Free WiFi was launched in 2009 and has long established itself as the world’s largest community network. It is true that Free Wifi has proven to be useful on numerous occasions, especially for subscribers (and friends of subscribers) who did not necessarily have the means to invest in a large envelope of mobile data, which is rather expensive to the time.
Outside, it was enough to fall on a Free WiFi network to enjoy a stable connection at a lower cost. But since then, water has flowed under the bridges and 4G has become democratized in France, in particular thanks to Free in addition with its low-cost packages. And for Xavier Niel, founder and CEO of Free, the Free WiFi community network is no longer of interest at the time of the advent of 5G.
Free WiFi Secure is still there
However, it should be noted that the service FreeWiFi Secure remains active. This service uses the principle of the community network set up by FreeWiFi, with one difference. Unlike classic Free WiFi, connection to the Free WiFi Secure network is done automatically on your smartphone, without requiring any action on your part. In other words, no password or identifiers to enter. The SIM card is used to authenticate the subscriber and thanks to the EAP-SIM identification protocol, theThe smartphone stops the 3G / 4G connection to automatically switch to Wi-Fi.
As a reminder, Free launched its 5G offers in mid-December 2020, at prices more accessible than those charged by its competitors, Orange and Bouygues Telecom in the lead. In addition, the operator prides itself on offering, for the moment, the best coverage in France, up to 40%. However, it should be noted that this performance was made possible thanks to Free’s strategy, which consists of favoring the 700 MHz band and to convert existing 4G antennas to 5G. As a result, the coverage is there, but the speeds are not that great, ” equivalent to those previously provided in 4G “ according to Arcep. In short, if you want fast, efficient and affordable 5G, we recommend the RED by SFR package of 130 GB at 25 € / month. For 4G plans, you will find your happiness in our selection of offers regularly updated.
Source: ZDNet
