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back to article 1,600 pubs and bars to get free Wi-Fi

Yes, Mitchells & Butlers does sound like a comedy duo or a brand up up-market smokes, but it's actually the owner of a string of eateries that O2 will be equipping with gratis Wi-Fi. M&B runs Irish theme-pubs O'Neill's, plus Nicholson's pubs; All Bar One; the posh version of All Bar One, Brown's; and 1970s throwbacks Harvester …

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  1. Pete 2 Silver badge

    Beats having to talk to your date

    Excellent idea!

    Now, instead of spending a romantic evening (though in an M&B theme-pub? maybe not) each party will be able to prepare themselves for their future lives together by ignoring each other and spending the evening SMS-ing their friends, surfing the dating sites for better prospects or just watching the TV that they'd have otherwise missed by dint of being in the pub.

    Many couples attribute the success of their relationships to the simple technique of never talking to each other. It sounds like adding another opportunity for mutual avoidance could even help them stay together.

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  2. KroSha

    Free Wifi as in totally free, or Free for 15 Mins, after which you'll need to subscribe?

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  3. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Down

    Optional

    O2, the people who manage to make 3 Mobile look good!

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  4. Jess

    Will it require a stupid authentication page?

    If it does it is of little use to many devices.

    Devices without a suitable browser are locked out.

    You also can't have the device just connect without intervention.

    (e.g. the phone can't just switch to UMA in your pocket. Which is a major fail in areas of weak signal)

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  5. dephormation.org.uk
    Devil

    Telefonica/O2...

    ....Phorm partners.

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  6. David Perry 2
    Stop

    VPN passthrough?

    I won't go on public wifi now until I setup a VPN server. So will they let VPN connections through?

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    1. Neil Brown
      Reply Icon

      Re: VPN passthrough?

      I have not had a problem with the (few) hotspots I've tried, usually BT-powered, provided that I do the authentication before trying to connect, which is no real surprise.

      I have my web browser on my machine defaulted to connecting via a proxy on my home network, to avoid accidentally using an insecure connection / if I somehow fail to route all traffic down the VPN — even putting exceptions in place for the authentication pages, I have not been able to get this to work with the proxy requirement in place, so I have to remember to deselect the proxy before authenticating, then put it back in place afterwards, which is a nuisance.

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  7. Cazzo Enorme

    Before spunking cash on free WiFi for pubs, could O2 actually provide coverage for their mobile phone users in my area? I'm not talking about some remote rural location, but the Trent Park / Enfield Chase area of London. Otherwise, is there any grounds for having a mobile contract cancelled since the carrier doesn't actually provide a mobile signal in the location I spend most of my time?

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  8. John I'm only dancing
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    M&B

    Used to be a very big brewer in Birmingham, made a decent beer, unlike Ansells, which came second in a beer contest to Severn Trent.

    And regarding 02, my son has to come out of his bedroom to get any signal for his iPhone..ludicrous.

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