BT | FON

BT TOTAL BROADBAND FAQs

Find answers to the most frequently asked questions about the BT FON Service for BT Total Broadband customers.

GENERAL QUESTIONS
JOINING
LANDING PAGE
CONNECTING TO SERVICE
SECURITY
TROUBLESHOOTING/HELP AND SUPPORT
LEAVING SERVICE
OTHER QUESTIONS

GENERAL QUESTIONS

If you need help with your FON or BTFON Voucher (not BT Total Broadband), then email us

What is BT FON?

BT FON is an initiative between BT and FON that aims to give all its members access to wireless broadband wherever they are in the world. This is possible because all BT FON members agree to securely share a portion of their Wi-Fi bandwidth through a separate channel on their wireless router with other members who are in range of their wireless router. These wireless routers become known as "BT FON hotspots".

Who are FON?

FON is a company that has been helping its members share Wi-Fi bandwidth for over a year all over the world. It has over 2 million members.

What do I get when I join BT FON?

When you join BT FON, you share your bandwidth with other BT FON members who are in range of your wireless router connection, and in return, you can get access to broadband whenever you are in range of another member's connection. BT FON members can also access FON hotspots anywhere in the world. BT Total Broadband customers who are members of BT FON can also have access at BT Openzone Hotspots.

I have been told I am a member of BT FON – what does this mean?

BT FON is the world's largest Wi-Fi community. As a member of BT FON, you share a portion of your bandwidth with other BT FON members who are in range of your wireless router connection. In return, you get access to broadband whenever you are in range of another member's connection. BT FON members can also access BT FON Hotspots anywhere in the world safely and securely. To learn more about BT FON have a look around the www.bt.com/btfon website which tells you all about the great features of this service.

How much does it cost?

There is no cost to join BT FON. Membership is inclusive for BT Total Broadband customers. If you are not a member of BT FON you can purchase a voucher to access the Internet from a BT FON hotspot in advance by going to http://www.btopenzone.com/buy. When you are in range of a BT FON hotspot, simply follow the link on the BT FON landing page to buy a BT Openzone minutes.

Do I have to be a BT Total Broadband customer to be a member of the BT FON community?

BT Total Broadband customers have the opportunity to join the BT FON community and get inclusive Wi-Fi minutes as part of their BT Total Broadband package. If you are not a BT Total Broadband customer but have broadband at home you can join the community by purchasing a FON Wi-Fi router. This provides the same safe access for community members and comes with a FON account that will enable you to access any BT FON hotspot whilst out and about. If you do not have broadband you can access the BT FON community by purchasing BT FON passes from the BT FON landing page.

How does BT Openzone relate to BT FON?

BT Openzone provides public Wi-Fi broadband access at prime locations such as airports, restaurants and city centres. BT FON is an initiative between BT and FON that allows customers to share their broadband connection with each other and BT Total Broadband customers who are members of BT FON can access BT Openzone hotspots as well as BT FON home hubs.

What speed will I get when I am logged on at a BT FON hotspot?

When you log on to BT FON while you are out and about you will get up to 512kbps.

JOINING

How do I join BT FON?

All new BT Total Broadband customers will be automatically opted into BT FON meaning you can use your Wi-Fi minutes as soon as your Broadband is set up. Existing customers who have taken the service since March 2009 will already be members of BT FON unless they have opted out.

Existing BT Total Broadband customers should go to www.bt.com/btfon and opt in to the BT FON Wi-Fi community. You only need your BTinternet.com email address, which acts as your username, and your email address password.

I don’t have my BTinternet email or password, how do I join BT FON?

If you have forgotten or lost this information please search for the details that were sent when your BT Total Broadband was first set up, as e-mail and communications that were sent to you hold this information. If you are still unable to locate your password please click here

To recover your Btinternet.com username please call: 0800 111 4567, select option 1 and follow the instructions. You will need the number of line on which you have your BT Total Broadband and your account number. These can be found on your BT Bill.

When I opt in into the BT FON community, what does that mean?

When you opt in or join BT FON you are agreeing to share a portion of your bandwidth through a separate secure channel in exchange for being able to share the bandwidth of all the other members around the world. BT FON asks you to opt in because it is your bandwidth so it is your decision if you want to share.

Is there anything I need to do once I have opted in?

Please remember to leave your BT Home Hub switched on until after you have opted into the BT FON community and your BT Home Hub has been updated. You can check the status of your hub by going to http://bthomehub.home, clicking on Services, clicking on Wi-Fi Community and it should tell you whether your BT Home Hub has been enabled for BT FON.

How long after opting in will I be able to use the service?

Once you have opted in to BT FON you will be able to access broadband at other hotspots within a couple of hours. Your BT home hub will be set up so that other members can log in there within a couple of days.

What if I don't have a hub?

If you don't have a hub and are a BT Total Broadband customer you can still join BT FON. You will be able to log in at other members BT FON home hubs and if you get a hub in the future you will then be able to share bandwidth with other members of BT FON

What if I am an existing BT Openzone customer?

BT Openzone customers can get wireless broadband access on the BT FON network. Also BT Total Broadband customers who join BT FON can access BT Openzone sites in the UK and Ireland.

How many minutes do I get each month with BT Total Broadband?

BT Total Broadband customers get unlimited Wi-Fi minutes for Internet access to use in BTFON and Openzone hotspots. As part of the BTFON community, BT Total Broadband customers can also access FON hotpots anywhere in the world

LANDING PAGE

Is this site secure?

Yes, it is protected by https: security as used by banks and credit card companies meaning that no one can view your login or card details.

To find out more about security, click here.

What is my BT Total Broadband password and username?

Your username is your full email address, including the @btinternet.com or @btopenworld.com part.

You chose a password when you first registered for internet access from BT. If you have forgotten it, and you have access to your email we will have sent your password in a welcome email when you first signed up to BT Total Broadband. Otherwise please call our helpdesk on 0800 111 4567. Lines are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Why have I landed on this page?

If you are a BT Total Broadband customer trying to connect to the internet at home and this page is coming up instead of your usual homepage, your automatic wireless settings are giving priority to a connection to BT Openzone or BT FON via your BT Home Hub or home router. A step by step guide is offered below to resolve this issue for Windows XP, Windows Vista and the BT Wireless connection manager. If you use a different operating system please check the user documentation.

Windows XP Wireless Auto Configuration

If you have connected to BT Openzone in the past it will have been automatically added to the list of your preferred wireless networks (as highlighted in the screen below).

This screen can be accessed by clicking Start > Control Panel > Network & Internet Connections > Network Connections. Double click on Your wireless network connection and then click on the Properties button. Finally select the Wireless Networks tab.

When you switch on your computer, it attempts to connect to the networks listed in the order they appear. So if BT Openzone is higher in the list than your BT Home Hub and both wireless networks are in range then you will be automatically connected to BT Openzone.

There are three ways to get around this issue.

Move your BT Home Hub so it is higher in the list than BT Openzone
Do this by selecting your Hub in the list and clicking on the Move up button until it is above BT Openzone.
Change BT Openzone so that it requires a manual connection
Select BT Openzone in the list and click on the Properties button. Select the Connection tab and ensure the tick is removed from the 'Connect when this network is in range' box.
Remove the BT Openzone entry if you no longer require it.

Select BT Openzone in the list and click on the Remove button.

Your computer may also be configured to allow automatic connection to non-secured networks (BT Openzone is a non-secured network). To stop this from happening click on the Advanced button in the window shown above. In the next window, make sure that 'Automatically connect to non-preferred networks' is not ticked (highlighted in the screen below).

Windows Vista Wireless Configuration

If you have connected to BT Openzone in the past it will appear in your list of preferred networks (highlighted below in red.) This screen can be accessed by clicking Start > Control Panel > Network & Internet > Network and Sharing Centre. From the Network Sharing Centre click on the Manage wireless networks link on the left hand side of the window.

When you switch on your computer, it attempts to connect to the networks listed in the order they appear. So if BT Openzone appears higher in the list than your BT Home Hub and both are in range then you will be connected to BT Openzone.

There are three ways to get around this issue.

Move your BT Home Hub so it is higher in the list than BT Openzone
Do this by selecting your Hub in the list and clicking on the Move up button until it is above BT Openzone.
Change BT Openzone so that it requires a manual connection
Select BT Openzone in the list and click on the Properties button. Select the Connection tab and ensure the tick is removed from the 'Connect when this network is in range' box.
Remove the BT Openzone entry if you no longer require it.

Select BT Openzone in the list and click on the Remove button.

BT Wireless Connection Manager

If you have connected to a BT Openzone in the past it will appear in your list of connection profiles (highlighted below in red.) This screen can be accessed by clicking Start > All Programs > BT Wireless Connection Manager > BT Wireless Connection Manager, then select 'Manage connection profiles'.

When you switch on your PC it will attempt to connect to networks listed in the order they appear. If BT Openzone appears above your BT Home Hub and both are in range then you will be connected to BT Openzone. To get around this issue you should move your BT Home Hub higher in the list than BT Openzone.

Do this by selecting your Hub in the list and clicking on the 'Move up' button until it is above BT Openzone.

CONNECTING TO SERVICE

I am a BT FON customer, I am out and about with my laptop and I want to connect to the Internet, what do I do?

Switch on your lap top and right click on the wireless network icon in the system tray, This is at the bottom right of the screen.

After you have right clicked on the icon, choose the option to 'View Available Wireless Networks'.

You should then look to see if BT Openzone or BTFON appears in the list. This is the “name” of the BT FON hotspot within range of your wireless connection. If it does, then click on the BT Openzone / BTFON wireless network and then press connect.

Look to see if a BT OpenZone or FON_ signal appears

You will be now be connected to a BT FON hotspot.

Once connected, launch your preferred browser (e.g. Internet Explorer)
• This should load the BT FON landing page automatically, if it does not, enter https://www.btopenzone.com:8443 in the browser.
From the BT FON landing page select BT Total Broadband.
When, prompted, simply enter your login credentials i.e. your @btinternet.com e-mail address and password and connect.
Minimise the browser window that you used to connect so that you can use it to simply disconnect at the end of your session.

I can see several Wi-Fi networks, which network should I connect to?

When you are in the UK you should connect to the network named BT Openzone. When you are elsewhere in the world you should connect to the Wi-Fi network that starts FON_.

How do I log in once I connect to the correct Wi-Fi network?

Once you are connected to the correct wi-fi network

Launch your browser. This should load the BT FON landing page automatically, if it does not, enter https://www.btopenzone.com:8443 in the browser.
Select BT Total Broadband on the BT FON landing page.
When prompted, simply enter your login username and password that you used to register to BT FON (i.e. your@btinternet.com e-mail address and password) and connect.
Leave the browser window minimised that you used to connect so that you can use it to simply disconnect at the end of your session.
Launch another browser and you are ready to access the Internet!

How do I disconnect?

Simply go back to the BT FON landing page and press disconnect.

What devices can I use to connect to BT FON?

You should be able to use any device that has Wi-Fi capability such as most laptops.

Why does my device automatically connect to the BTOpenzone when in range of my own Home Hub?

Some devices, including those using the Windows Mobile operating system try to reconnect to the wi-fi hotspot name that was last used to connect to the Internet. As a result, your device may try to reconnect to BTOpenzone and not the BT Home Hub as you would expect . If this happens, you will have to manually change the setting so that you connect to the BT Home Hub.

How do I connect to BTFON with an iPhone or iPod Touch?

If you have an iPhone or an iPod Touch and you want to connect to the Internet through BT Fon, follow the instructions below:

Within the Settings->Wi-Fi Networks menu on your device, choose BTOpenzone (or BTFON ).
When the device has associated with the BTOpenzone / BTFON SSID, click the arrow next to the BTOpenzone entry. This shows the detailed settings for the connection.
Select the DNS section of the details shown. The DNS section will list 3 IP addresses "10.xx.xx.xx, 192.168.22.22, 192.168.22.23"
Scroll back through the list by dragging finger across the screen and then delete the initial 10.xx.xx.xx address.
Check the DNS section entry is set to "192.168.22.22, 192.168.22.23" (There should be no space at the beginning of the entry)
Return to the main screen and enter the Safari browser. Navigating to any Internet URL will redirect to the BT FON landing page. Follow the instructions to log in and connect to the Internet.

SECURITY

How secure is the BT FON service?

The visitor and home-user data is passed through separate channels to the Internet. This keeps visitors using BT FON isolated from any activities on the home-user’s own network, and as a home-user you cannot see a visitor’s activity.

How secure are wireless broadband hotspots?

To help make sure you receive a safe and reliable service, BT FON encrypts your account details when you log-in.

To keep your system as secure as possible it's also important to check you keep your operating system security patches up to date. For example, you should regularly visit Microsoft's Windows update website or the software update section of Apple's website.

For extra security, we would recommend that you use strong Firewall and Antivirus software and keep it regularly updated - for example using BT Netprotect Plus* For Windows PCs.

By their very nature, open public WiFi networks operate without wireless encryption enabled in order for all users to be able to access them as a public service. This means while you're using open public networks, there's a potential risk information could be intercepted if an application or service (e.g. website) does not secure its own data in transit as it passes from the device (e.g. laptop, WiFi enabled phone or a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA)) to the open public WiFi hotspot.

Because of this potential risk if you use public WiFi hotspots to access email and other sensitive unencrypted information you're advised to implement an additional layer of security such as a VPN (Virtual Private Network) or other secure methods such as remote access software which allows you to access a computer remotely but over a secure channel.

VPNs work by encrypting all of your data to make it virtually impossible to intercept. Most large companies use VPN solutions to protect their data as it passes over public WiFi networks.

BT now offers free Cisco VPN software for personal use to give you extra security when using Wi-Fi hotspots.

Click here to find out more and download.the VPN client.

For private (e.g. home) WiFi networks, most home wireless routers enable WiFi encryption by default to prevent this kind of interception.

All current BT Home Hubs are shipped with WiFi security called “WiFi Protected Access” (WPA), which is turned on as standard and has a pass phrase that cannot be easily guessed.

What is a VPN (Virtual Private Network) service?

Although virtual private networks are generally used by company networks to provide strong authentication and encryption for hotspot communications (as well as GPRS, dial up and broadband), there are also inexpensive consumer VPN services that give you many of the protection measures that a corporate VPN would offer.

What happens if someone uses my broadband connection to access an illegal site? Can I prove that it wasn't me accessing the sites?

When the visitor accesses the Internet it is through a independent channel and so any Internet activity will be clearly separate from your home network.

If I use someone else's connection, could they access my computer?

No, coverage is displayed on the map as the number of BT FON members living within a postcode. Other members will not know which house the Wi-Fi signal is coming from.

Can people using my hub see what I am doing on the internet?

No, their access is through a separate secure channel on the home hub.

What do I need to do to minimise security risks?

Nothing over and above what you already do to secure your Wi-Fi access at home.

Is there any risk to people’s health through in joining BT FON community?

No. A recent report from the World Health Organisation has concluded that wi-fi broadband does not create adverse health effects. Also, BT takes health concerns seriously and we seek to ensure that our products and services are safe by abiding by the international safety guidelines recommended by the Health Protection Agency in the UK and the EU. All of our equipment has to conform to these guidelines.

The World Health Organisation fact sheet (May 2006) on this subject can be found at http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs304/en/index.html, its conclusions state:

What sort of bandwidth will visitors on my home hub get and will this affect my bandwidth?

The home user will always get priority and visitors will never get more than 512kbps.

512k is not very much. What's the point?

512kbps is ample for most on-the-go use which tends to be email or general web browsing.

It must reduce my bandwidth if someone else is using my system, right?

We prioritise bandwidth in favour of the hub owner. The bandwidth needed for services such as BT Vision or Internet phone calls are always prioritised for the owner of the BT FON home hub.

If I joined BT FON, will people know where I live?

No, coverage is displayed on the map as the number of BT FON members living within a postcode. Other members will not know which house the Wi-Fi signal is coming from.

TROUBLESHOOTING/HELP AND SUPPORT

If you need help with your FON or BTFON Voucher (not BT Total Broadband), then email us

Why can't I see a BT Openzone Wi-Fi network?

There are a number of reasons why you may not be able to view a Wi-Fi network.

You need to ensure that your PC or laptop is Wi-Fi enabled. This means either ensuring that your PC or laptop is configured correctly and has a Wi-Fi adapter which is installed correctly, or that the inbuilt Wi-Fi functionality on the device you are connecting through is switched on.
The hotspot that you are trying to connect through may have opted out of service and this is yet to be updated on the BT FON maps.
The customer may have temporarily unplugged or switched of their BT FON home hub.
You may be out of range of the BT FON signal that is being shown on the BT FON map.

I can see a Wi-Fi network but I am unable to connect to it?

It is possible that upon connecting to the Wi-Fi network, the BT Home Hub broadcasting the Wi-Fi signal has been turned off. In cases such as these, please relocate and view further networks that may be in range and connect. Alternatively you may have moved out of range of the Wi-Fi signal.

I have connected to a Wi-Fi network, but cannot see the landing page?

The landing page should automatically be presented to you after you have successfully connected to the Wi-Fi network and launched your chosen browser. If this does not load then you should type https://www.btopenzone.com:8443 into your browser. This will launch the landing page.

I don’t know where to find my username and password?

This is the primary e-mail account and password that was set up and communicated to you via e-mail when you first ordered BT Total Broadband. You should be able to find this information in the details that were sent to you by post or email when you first set up BT Total Broadband.

If you are still unable to locate your password please click here. To recover your Btinternet.com username please call: 0800 111 4567, select option 1 and follow the instructions. You will need the number of line on which you have your BT Total Broadband and your account number. These can be found on your BT Bill.

If I have had to change my password, how long after changing this will I be able to connect to the service?

This should happen straight away.

I have tried to login, but am getting an error page, why is this?

This can be due to a number of reasons:

Check that your username and password have been typed in incorrectly – they are case sensitive.
Check that you have joined the BT FON Wi-Fi community.
Check that you have remaining minutes left for the month. BT Total Broadband customers are allocated specific minutes each month. Option 1 customers get 250 minutes, Option 2 customers get 350 minutes and Option 3 customers get unlimited minutes per month.

I have been disconnected while using the internet, why is this?

There are a number of reasons why you may have disconnected while using the Internet:

You have become out of range of the Wi-Fi network.
There are no more minutes left on the account.
The Wi-Fi signal you connected to may have been switched off.

What happens if I forget to log off?

BT FON has built-in protection for customers which disconnects you from the Internet after 15 minutes if there is no Internet activity . This ensures that you do not run down your minute entitlement. BT FON also has a maximum session length of two hours but you can log back in if you need to.

I have closed the window that has the disconnect button on, how do I disconnect?

Open another browser, type in www.btopenzone.com and this page should refresh for you. You will then be able to disconnect from here by clicking the disconnect button.

With my BT Openzone minutes, I used to get access to T-Mobile hotspots such as Starbucks but BT Fon minutes do not give me access to these hotspots, why not?

The BT Fon proposition gives you access to BT Openzone hotspots and BT Fon Home Hubs, it will not give you access to any other wi-fi hotspots. We expect the BT Fon community to grow significantly and with already thousands of hotspots in the UK, BT Fon minutes should give you wi-fi access in lots of places across the UK. You can still purchase Openzone vouchers or subscription separately that will continue to give you access to T-Mobile hotspots.

I have recently opted in, why is my Home Hub still not enabled as a hotspot?

In some cases BT is unable to enable your Home Hub as a hotspot as expected within a couple of days. You will still be able to use your Wi-Fi minutes at other hotspots.

Does visitor traffic affect my usage allowance?

No it has no effect on your usage allowance.

When I log onto BT FON does this count against my home download allowance?

No, it does not count towards your home download allowance.

How do I check that I have joined the BT FON community?

You can do this by double clicking on the hub manager icon on your desktop or by opening your web browser and entering BT Home Hub into the address bar. Under the services menu and Wi-Fi community you will see either a green tick or a red cross. If there is a green tick you are a member of the BT FON Wi-Fi community.

LEAVING SERVICE

What happens if I leave the BT FON community?

If you leave BT FON you will no longer receive your allocated Wi-Fi minutes and you will not be able to share bandwidth with other members of the community or log on at BT Openzone. No other community members will be able share your home bandwidth.

What happens if I leave BT Total Broadband?

You will lose your Wi-Fi minutes and not be a member of the BT FON community through BT anymore.

I don’t want to be a part of BT FON, how do I opt out?

We are sorry to hear you are thinking of leaving, remember, if you ever want to opt back in it is easy to do, just visit the BT FON website.

To opt-out of BT FON simply follow the steps below:

Go to www.bt.com/btfon.
Click on the ‘Check Status’ link on the left of the page.
Enter your btinternet email address and password and click on the ‘Check Status’ link.
Scroll down to the opt-out section.
Enter your btinternet email address and password and click ‘send’.
You will then see a notice confirming that the opt-out request has been accepted. Please follow the instructions in this message.