McDonald's plans to offer free Wi-Fi

I'm not going to start hanging out at McDonald's, but if you're traveling, it's a great option for checking your email. I had to do this on Monday & ducked into a Panera Bread, but McDonald's is everywhere.

Should lead to more folks offering free wi-fi too.

 

I've used the Wi-Fi at McDonalds a lot lately to send stories. My home internet provider has a deal with AT&T, so I get to use their hotspots for free, and at least in my state they have a hotspot at nearly every McDonalds and Starbucks. Just be careful on deadline. Last night my usual spot down the street from two of the schools I cover wouldn't allow me to connect. Had to drive 10 minutes north to the next one and nearly missed deadline.

 

Moving next door to a McDonald's and leaching their wifi now sounds like a good idea!

 

As long as you don't mind the smell of grease. Hell, if you drive five minutes with a bag of McDonald's in your car, and you don't roll down your windows, your car will smell for days.

 

I didn't know this wasn't a national thing already. All the ones near me already offer it.

 

I think the free part is what's new. I've only been able to access it for free because of my internet provider's deal with AT&T.

 

Cool - you can use the wi-fi to look up a decent place to eat.

 

Smart business idea.

 

McDonald's has had wifi for two years or so now.

 

Not free though.

 

Every McDonald's in the city I live has free wifi, as does the McDonald's closest to my parents house in Kansas City. Until I got a wireless card, I've used the wifi at the McDonald's near my parents every time I visted the last two years at least.

 

I have posted this before on other threads, but the biggest challenge on the horizon facing schools is bridging the gap between the students with high-speed wifi and those without.

I feel internet service should be provided by the government like roads, water and sewer service, but since it is not, Micky D's filling the gap is a brilliant business move.

To crossthread, providing internet service to the community will be a service run out of school libraries in the near future.