Why Wi-Fi is free Vs. Cellular paid data

[v9]

Nowadays phone users wonder, why Wi-Fi is offered free of charge for costumers Vs. the expensive Data-usage-plans, offered by the 3Giants in Ca. Is there a valid reason for it. What do you think-Dear member. "Sent your input about this topic to analyze together" why do we pay too much in Cellular-data-usage, What to do to stop these unfair charges.

I'll transcript some important info to understand-better the roll of the Wi-Fi Vs. Cellular data.

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What's the difference between Wi-Fi and Cellular data.

A data plan & Wi-Fi networks, basically let you do the same task. Use the Internet wirelessly. Some devices are built for Wi-Fi use only, while others like the 4G-LTE smartphones n' the Sony Xperia[R] Z2 Tablet it has Wi-Fy-3G & 4G LTE access. Wi-Fi connect to a router a cellular data doesn't. Any other definition posted it.

Which one is faster - Wi-Fi or Cellular data.

Cellular-Data service may be slower the same or faster, than Wi-Fi for i.e. 3G-Service in a crowded city may be slower or the same as a busy public Wi-Fi hotspot. It'll crawl compared to Wi-Fi at home. However 4G Cellular-could be faster than a public or home Wi-Fi with a slow DSL connection to the web.

I'll continue on with other definitions soon. So again I invite members to offer their opinions in this hot topic "Why Wi-Fi is free & Cellular data paid" Comments welcome. Bye <V9>   Do you like this post - Give kudos to his Author. Thks

[SA · Accepted solution]

The simple reason is that WiFi is owned and run by a customer's own network infrastructure that he/she also pays for an ISP and or other services, such as modem/router rental etc.

In the case of a 'Guest' WiFi connection, then the location where you're allowed to connect as a guest is paying for that infrastructure.

So, no... it is not free in either case.

With Cellular data, it is the Telco's equipment and infrastructure that you're using, including it's cell towers and other backend equipment and an approved device (your phone, tablet or if using a WAN cellular dongle, your PC or Mac).

So while it may seem WiFi is free, it is not.  Just like Cellular data isn't either.

While I would love cheap data via the cellular distribution channels, it will never be free or even substantially cheaper, just like WiFi isn't 'free' now.

[v9]

Thanks for quick reply @SA: Your answer content important, points as who pay for the Wi-Fi are those, who own that particular network, while the (Cellular-data is owned & operated by Telecoms like-Telus). But the point to discuss is not, who own & operate the facility, but why the Wi-Fi is offered-free in public hotspots, while billionaire phone providers, instead of offer-free or a lower price data in the plans. Each year it get increased at such point that getting, almost the same amount of profits like Airtime.

In my case I signed up for the Lite plan @35$ my 1GB cost $25, so is only 10$ of difference. In addition to read the front page of a newspaper I used to spent say 25Mbs now is 50Mb - why the huge increase, just to get more cash from users. That's the point to discuss.  More replies welcome!  By the infamous! <v9> 

@SA latest reply: Right in On-You rock! I really like that answer-hit the spot. Ha-ha! Now elaborate if got time, some strategies on how to stop Telecoms to charge extra in our Phone bills. What can we do beside, buy extra data & Set a phone-data- limit to lower or keep the plan, without extra charges..

[SA]

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@v9 wrote:

 But the point to discuss is not, who own & operate the facility, but why the Wi-Fi is offered-free in public hotspots, while billionaire phone providers, instead of offer-free or a lower price data in the plans. <V9>

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That is also a simple to answer question.  The public hotspots are a benefit for the customers of that business and are trying to create good will, etc.

While the phone providers are there to provide that actual service as one of their main business and to make money off of it.

That is how they became 'billionaires'.  😉

[xl]

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@SA wrote:

So, no... it is not free in either case.

With Cellular data, it is the Telco's equipment and infrastructure that you're using, including it's cell towers and other backend equipment and an approved device (your phone, tablet or if using a WAN cellular dongle, your PC or Mac).

So while it may seem WiFi is free, it is not.  Just like Cellular data isn't either.

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I'll add...

• wifi has limited range.... celullar can reach much greater distances with fewer towers.  I get Telus cellular service on the ferry or cruise ship.... no Shaw wifi coverage there.
• some cities are offering free wifi.  But is it really free with advertisements and/or property taxes.  How many cups of coffee are you drinking for that cafe wifi?

[v9]

I thank you both [SA+Xl] but still the question it hasn't been answered at all,.here's again "Why Wi-Fi is free & Cellular Data is paid" Does it means that the owner of a coffee shop or small restaurant, are richer than Rogers-Telus-Bell,.etc. It has to be a reason, why these small business, can afford to offer this service free. Weird Telecoms offer free Wi-Fi but paid Cellular-data

Xl-pointed out, that some cities offering free Wi-Fi that's true as example the Surrey-city on BC-will start to offer free Wi-Fi soon. But back to the point, why "Wi-Fi is free " not quite xl-said you've to read "Adds+buy coffe+donuts, but still is a good deal, compared by not have even 5MBs free, from the big Telecoms. Question still open to debate. Read you around! <v9>

[xl]

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@v9 wrote:

Xl-pointed out, that some cities offering free Wi-Fi that's true as example the Surrey-city on BC-will start to offer free Wi-Fi soon. But back to the point, why "Wi-Fi is free " not quite xl-said you've to read "Adds+buy coffe+donuts, but still is a good deal, compared by not have even 5MBs free, from the big Telecoms. Question still open to debate. Read you around! <v9>

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Perhaps you can tell us where there is "free" wifi, and we'll suggest how you may be paying for it like property fees or other hidden costs.

[SA]

nasty, you are spot on.

I don't use any (ANY) public WiFi even if a customer is waiting for me to send them a yes or no answer).

Even with VPN, if the WiFi connection is OPEN and unsecured (WPA2 is my minimum required to connect even to known clients networks), the presumably secure connect isn't.  (Secure).

v9, the question has been answered many times now in many different ways.  With an invitation by xl to specify which 'free' WiFi spot and get the answer of how it is not free.

[v9]

Re:Why Wi-Fi is free Vs. Cellular paid Data. I'd say that this topic-was answered with a 90%..of Accuracy. I admit that I failed to formulate the question in better manner. The question text-should've been like that: " Why Telecoms offer Wi-Fi free & Cellular-Data paid" That's a FACT-TELUSTERS,.Because, when you signed up for a 2yr. Phone plan, you've to buy an "X" amount of Data-Agree on that. But they don't asked you to buy Wi-Fi (y/n)

The user knows in advance that, won't be charged for the WI-FI-usage. So again costumers ask themselves, why Telecoms charge us for "Phone-Data-usage" but not for Wi-Fi at least upfront. The issue about if Wi-Fi cost$ or not to Mobile providers or to public-hotspots owners is now out of context.

I'm going to proceed to select a (Member-Answer as Accepted solution) but & I won't closed yet the post. In case another member, would like to explain, why the 3Giants. Don't charge for WI-FI--But for Phone-Data-usage. Thanks @ [SA--Xl--nasty] for their valued contributions. Stay Tuned! >>@V9

[xl]

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@v9 wrote:

Which one is faster - Wi-Fi or Cellular data.

Cellular-Data service may be slower the same or faster, than Wi-Fi for i.e. 3G-Service in a crowded city may be slower or the same as a busy public Wi-Fi hotspot. It'll crawl compared to Wi-Fi at home. However 4G Cellular-could be faster than a public or home Wi-Fi with a slow DSL connection to the web.

I'll continue on with other definitions soon. So again I invite members to offer their opinions in this hot topic "Why Wi-Fi is free & Cellular data paid" Comments welcome. Bye <V9>   Do you like this post - Give kudos to his Author. Thks

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I add....  I've seen situations where cellular is faster (LTE) and I've often seen situations where wifi is faster.  It depends...

• which package is the user paying for (wifi and cellular)?
• which provider is the user subscribing to (cellular)?
• how many people are connected and using the internet at the same time?  How many are streaming video?

If you want to speed, you just need to pay a little more.  While budget users are happy with 300kbps for their emails.

[nasty]

Tip: If you don't need your phones wifi radio on, turn if off.  The worst offenders are people who allow their phone to automatically connect to any open wifi hotspot.  There are these cool programs to create an open wifi hotspot on an old computer and return every page request modified(cats, blurred, upside down).

The big 3 have become extremely stingy on data packages for the cell phone to avoid complaints of a slow network during things like major events. When you have people streaming a HD video over cellular(along with adding on-cell-site servers to control it), it can be taxing on the network and LTE just makes it worse with lots of data bursting to fill the clients video buffer.  Sports stadiums have been upgraded to shift the burden over to wifi, along with adding some dedicated cell network antennas.

Competition/Colluding across Canada is to blame for areas that get 6GB a month for cheap and areas that get 500MB a month expensive.  Generate large profits on one part of the system, to be able to subsidize lower profits on another part of the system.

 A small coffee shop will smartly block things like P2P to avoid massive free-wifi bills at the end of the month. Notice that a business will have a landline Internet connection that is almost unlimited monthly data(or very large cap), in some cases.

http://www.surrey.ca/city-government/15943.aspx

Mayor and Council have approved a licensing agreement that will see Shaw Communications Inc. install, operate and maintain the City Wide Wi-Fi network (public rec centers first). As part of the multi-year agreement, the City will provide Shaw access to city facilities and shared marketing opportunities in exchange for Shaw’s Wi-Fi services and support.

Depending on 'whom' is offering the wifi, wifi makes it easy to harvest users surfing habits and sell them on to advertisers(see Bell at bottom of this post).  Also known as wire-tapping. The more security conscious users will VPN over that unencrypted hotspot to keep their data confidential. 

Canada's airport's free wifi, and illegally tracking users by unique wifi identifiers, across North America.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/csec-used-airport-wi-fi-to-track-canadian-travellers-edward-snowden-...

The other thing about so many wifi hotspots is the ability to track an active-wifi enabled phone or tablet from location to location. There was some street shopping district around Toronto that put wifi antennas on the shops and used them to see how long someone lingered at each store, along with their shopping street path.

Sell that free-wifi location tracking data on to cities and shops so they can adapt to people movements and sales.  Usually with the disclaimer of anonymized/aggregate. http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2009/09/your-secrets-live-online-in-databases-of-ruin/

Last year, Bell decided to collect all data(including TV) that their users do on all their network. Illegally collecting data along with injecting or replacing a websites ads leads to more profit.  Many don't know yet, that cable-TV boxes(and smart TV's) can easily call home to report on things.  Now what end user can afford court against a mega-corp to contest mass collection of personal data?

http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/bell-data-collection-part-of-disturbing-trend-1.2223949

    http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/privacy-commissioner-to-investigate-bell-s-data-collecting-1....

http://www.ctvnews.ca/business/advocacy-groups-challenge-bell-s-data-collection-on-its-wireless-cust...

Many opt-out programs also tend to be cookie based and quite useless for those that delete cookies routinely. Some opt-out programs only stop the directed ads and does not stop the wire-tap.

CIA-Van-49 , signing off.  Oh wait, that was last week.  Apartment Building free-wifi , signing off.