BT Attracts '100,000 WiFi Sharers'

Britons have signed up in their droves to share their wireless (WiFi) broadband connections, Silicon.com reports.

The figure has been released by BT, whose new Fon sharing service has attracted more than 100,000 subscribers. The system works by users sharing their home connections with other users, and in return being allowed to use BT's wireless hotspots for no extra charge. There are around 193,000 of these hotspots worldwide, located in cities on every continent.

The sharing service is also not exclusive to BT customers alone: broadband currently with other ISPs are able to register if they buy a La Fonera WiFi router.

Jon Hurry, director of consumer internet services at BT said in a statement: "It's great to see BT Total Broadband customers joining forces to set up a people's WiFi network across the UK." He added: "BT has been instrumental in creating Broadband Britain, and we have built on that by calling upon entire communities to come together to create a WiFi network that covers the country, driven entirely by local broadband users."

BT is the UK's largest broadband provider, currently retaining over four million customers.