No Connection? Don’t Forget About Cable-Operated Hotspots

By Michael Lambert

Did you know that as a cable subscriber you have access to over 100,000 Wi-Fi hotspots in the United States? There’s no need to feel guilty if you didn’t—it’s easy to forget that other high-speed wireless options exist outside of your home Internet connection.  As online activity rapidly shifts to a more mobile-centric world, taking advantage of these cable hotspots can save you both time and money.

It’s a disappointing thing if you’ve ever tried to use an app on your mobile device that requires a wireless connection and won’t work over a cellular network.  Seeing the words “Use Wi-Fi to access data” illuminate your screen is a frustrating moment for most and it always pops up when it is least wanted.  Whether it’s downloading a large file, updating a complex app or video-calling a relative on FaceTime, doing this over a cellular network proves to be difficult if not impossible.

Fortunately for cable subscribers, there are free wireless hotspots virtually anywhere you go and this is particularly advantageous for when you are out of town or far from reliable cellular service.  Using a Wi-Fi connection, even one operated by your cable provider, will potentially improve your app download and browsing speeds and will certainly be cheaper since wireless use is not billed by your carrier.  All of the major cable providers including Time Warner, Comcast, Optimum and Cox now offer this service to their subscribers.  (Sometimes they even allow use for everyone.)  The next time you need a wireless connection, check your device to see if your cable provider has a nearby signal.  With there being over ten times as many cable-operated hotspots as there are Starbucks, you’re likely to find one.