Paywalls guarding the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal fell first. Now Comcast, one of the largest cable operators in the country, has announced that it will unlock thousands of Wi-Fi hotspots along the East Coast to help emergency responders and others affected by Hurricane Sandy.
These hotspots, part of a 50,000-unit nationwide network, are peppered across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, Washington, D.C., Virginia, West Virginia, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine. They’re normally password-protected and only accessible to actual Comcast subscribers.
However, until November 7th, anybody within the affect areas, comcast customer or not, will be able to log on for renewable two-hour sessions. To find the nearest hotspot, check the Xfinity coverage map (assuming you can), then seach for the “xfinitywifi” network when in the area. Non-customers will need to sign in using the “Not a Comcast subscriber?” link.
[DSLR Reports via CNet]
