Dell offers Wi-fi for free

SAN FRANCISCO: Dell Computer and wireless phone and data provider T-Mobile said they have struck an agreement aimed at speeding the proliferation of high-speed wireless Internet access, known as Wi-Fi.

Under the agreement, Dell customers can now get 2,000 free minutes of the T-Mobile HotSpot Wi-Fi service within the first 30 days of activation, when they sign up for a new, qualifying HotSpot service plan, the companies said.

There are now more than 2,600 public HotSpot locations, making T-Mobile HotSpot the largest commercial Wi-Fi networks, and the service is available at increasing numbers of airports and airline clubs, Borders Books and Music stores, Starbucks cafes and soon at more than 1,000 Kinko's locations.

The service lets users with a wireless-enabled notebook computer or personal digital assistant who subscribe to check e-mail, surf the Web, watch streaming video or download multimedia presentations.

To use the service, notebooks must have either a Wi-Fi card installed or Intel Centrino mobile technology, which is available in the latest laptops from major computer makers.

© Reuters