Your adverts say I can “make more money” – how does that work?

When we advertise our FREE HotSpots, we mean it is FREE to the user – your customers. This means that you will get more customers, because they will want to use the FREE Wi-Fi that you offer.

Studies show that adding FREE Wi-Fi can increase monthly sales in a café or restaurant by as much as 30%. Our own Case Studies have shown that a café with a FREE HotSpot realized a 2000% return on their investment, primarily through attracting more customers in the “off hours” and by selling more coffee, drinks and food to each customer who came in.

The extra money you make on these new customers will pay for your HotSpot costs many, many times over. In addition to the increased sales, you will also receive a share of the advertising revenue generated by your HotSpot. In this way, your overall spend on your HotSpot is even further reduced.

What type of broadband service should I have?

Although it is best to have 2Mbps down/1Mbps up, we recommend at least 1Mbps down and 512Kbps up, If sufficient bandwidth is not available, then you should upgrade your broadband service plan (from your ISP) or you should order an additional broadband connection. Be sure to get the “always on” service, and one that is “flat rate” and not variable.

You provide a router and firmware, but what if I require more than one wireless gateway, or more cabling or other equipment than is listed on the Equipment List?

free-hotspot.com is obligated to provide only the equipment listed on the Equipment List on the HotSpot Installation Form. If you require additional equipment, this will be charged to you by, and payable to, our HotSpot Installation Partner.

Why shouldn’t I just install my own router and offer FREE Wi-Fi to my customers?

If you install your own HotSpot you will not have the benefits of a free-hotspot.com FREE HotSpot:

• 24/7 Technicalsupport Hotline for your customers
• Direct support for you, includingwarranty replacement and maintenance service
• Worldwide promotion online, in print and media
• In-store signs and promotions
• Ability to advertise and communicate to your customers and others using your HotSpot
• Online Reporting and HotSpot Management Portal
• Technical innovation to accommodate new trends (such as Wi-Fi phones)
• Compliance with EU and local Data Retention laws

Once my HotSpot is installed, how long does it take for my location to be listed online?

Once your HotSpot has been installed and configured, you will be listed on our Directory in a very short time, usually within 48 hours. You will also have access to our HotSpot Operator Portal, which allows you to update your Directory and contact info, track usage, and configure your HotSpot User Experience. You can also use the online Shop to order more promotional materials, and the Portal’s own Support interface allows you to report a problem or open a “trouble ticket” directly with our Technical Services Department.

Security

I use my broadband connection for my business. Will it be safe to use the same connection for the FREE HotSpot?

Our HotSpot Installation Partner can install an additional piece of hardware (a SWITCH) to protect your own PC or network from the public Wi-Fi signal. This additional hardware usually costs less than €50. You will also need to pay for any additional labour needed to install the device (your Installer will give you a price for this work). In cases where security is a big concern, however, we recommend installing an additional broadband line specifically for the FREE HotSpot. This is the most secure solution and also has the added benefit of ensuring you always have enough bandwidth for your own staff to access the Internet quickly.

What about my customers? Will they be safe from hackers, viruses, etc.?

The people who use your FREE HotSpot will be just as safe – and just as vulnerable – as if they were accessing the Internet from home. It is up to each user to have their own anti-virus, anti-spyware and firewall software. We do not provide them for liability reasons. However, such programmes are now very common (Windows XP comes standard with these features), and Wi-Fi users know that they should be careful when accessing the Internet. You are also protected from liability, as once the user accepts the Terms of Service, they accept full responsibility and agree not to hold you responsible for anything that may happen to them while using the FREE HotSpot.

Does the free-hotspot.com system comply with all the EU and local laws requiring Wi-Fi providers to maintain logs and track user traffic?

The EU Data Retention Directive (EUDRD) of 2006 is a comprehensive directive to ensure that ISPs and other Internet access providers maintain suitable records and have “traceability” built in to their system. The Directive is designed to help combat terrorism, fraud and online crimes. Free-hotspot.com’s sophisticated back-end system allows us to meet or exceed the requirements of the EU directive as well as local laws in each EU member country.

Service, Support and Warranty

Who pays for the Warranty work, such as when the Wireless Gateway is defective or breaks?

We offer a “no questions asked” Warranty policy. If our HotSpot Equipment fails for any reason, then free-hotspot.com will replace the it. Similarly, free-hotspot.com will pay all costs necessary to upgrade or repair the router firmware or configuration.

How long does the Warranty last?

The Warranty lasts for as long as the the HotSpot Operator Agreement is in force.

Advertising Programme

What types of advertisements will my customers see? Will they be pop-ups?

We do not serve pop-up ads! Our adverts are carefully designed and produced in a way that does not interrupt or annoy the user.

The first advert that the user will see is an introductory commercial that appears after the Terms Of Service have been accepted and before the user starts surfing or otherwise using the Internet. This advert can be a film clip, an interactive puzzle or game, or any other rich-media based “spot” that can last 10-20 seconds. This is the only advert that the user is obliged to watch.

Will I be able to advertise myself on my FREE HotSpot?

With our HotSpot Marketing Packages, you will have the ability to advertise on your own HotSpot. You will be able to have a customised Welcome Page and your customers will all be redirected to your own web site when they first access the Internet. If you do not have a web site, we will provide a customisable Landing Page for you, which you can change as often as you like.

Technical Support

Do you offer technical support in my local language?

The Hotline offers tech support in English, French, German, Spanish and Italian.

How do my customers access the technical support Hotline?

To access our Hotline, we offer users an International FreePhone number: 00800 28 25 23 26. This number will work from all fixed private telephone lines in Europe and also from mobile phones and payphones where it is permitted and/or possible. We also offer local numbers in each country accessible from mobile phones.

Users

You say I can expect 15,000 additional visitors per year because of my FREE HotSpot. That seems unrealistically high, don’t you think?

Studies show that FREE HotSpots create a “viral” marketing effect that generates larger and larger groups of new users. For example: a group of friends or business associates may meet regularly for coffee, a meal or drinks after work - or a company wishes to take a group of clients out to a business lunch. If just one person in that group is a Wi-Fi user, then they may well all go to your location so that he/she can use your FREE HotSpot. So while the HotSpot gains only one user, your establishment gets 5, 6 or even more new customers. Moreover, once these people have discovered your HotSpot, they will tell friends, and your number of new visitors starts to expand exponentially!

How can I keep non-customers (such as people living above or sitting in other shops nearby) from “stealing” my Wi-Fi?

First, one cannot “steal” something that is offered for free. The FREE HotSpot philosophy means that anyone can use the FREE Wi-Fi signal if they accept our Terms of Service. Regardless of where the user is sitting, however, they will still see adverts, and you will still share in the revenue from these adverts.

And although a person may not always be in your establishment to use the FREE HotSpot, they will certainly want to come into your establishment the next time they want to enjoy the goods and services you offer (a coffee, a meal, a drink, etc.).

Finally, remember that a FREE HotSpot is not like a toilet that can be marked “for customers only”. The costs of maintaining the HotSpot are so low, and the capacity to serve many users is so high (up to 99 simultaneously), that it does not make sense to limit the access. The more users that connect to your HotSpot, the better for all!

What if a person comes in and sits all day at a table surfing?

The problem of people “lingering” using Wi-Fi is one that is more common in PAID HotSpot schemes. If a person pays for 1 hour or 3 hours or even 24 hours of access, they will naturally want to sit and get their money’s worth. As our HotSpots are FREE, however, there can be no right assumed by the customer for prolonged access.

In our case, using the FREE HotSpot is like reading a book, watching television, or pursuing any other leisure activity in your establishment. It is perfectly acceptable to ask a customer to leave after a certain time if they are not consuming. They have not, after all, paid anything to get their Internet access (just like they don’t pay to watch your television), and they are always welcome to return the next time they want to purchase your goods and services.