FLOW has huge plans for free Wi-Fi in the pipeline…..coming to a FLOW Router soon. This bit of news came out around the same time as the FLOW Barbados LTE test as noted in FLOW launches LTE in Barbados as Jamaica gets Huawei E8372
According to a source close to the situation, FLOW Barbados on March 8th 2017 began testing free a Wi-Fi concept FLOW WiFi gives users free Wi-Fi accessible via using their FLOW ID as a login. This is basically sandboxing of this POC (Proof of concept) on the unsuspecting guinea pigs in Barbados!
Their FLOW WiFi initiative is an attempt to enhance their Public Access Wi-Fi and is available to Digicel customers and tourists roaming with their smartphones from other networks. Access is free of cost with no usage limits.
If this sounds familiar to my regular readers it should; I’d suggested the very same idea for FAM Prepaid Customer in my article FLOW Jamaica FAM Postpaid needs FLOW ID, My FLOW App and Mobile Money.
My idea, posted back in September 6th 2016, was that FAM Prepaid Customer could be allowed to use any FLOW Horizon Wi-Fi Router for free once they’re within proximity at no extra charge using their FLOW ID on the My FLOW App to authenticate themselves.
This would not only help ease congestion on the 4G Network but it would also help to make streaming a reality in Jamaica. This is the same thing that the FLOW Lyf plans, a precursor to a LTE (Long Term Evolution) Network launch in Jamaica, are trying to jumpstart as noted in FLOW Lyf Data Plans wins over Whatsapp, Deezer and FLOW Sports Fans.
I later repeated the idea including Prepaid customers in the mix, as FLOW ID would make customer care call way easier as noted in FLOW Jamaica new Data Plans as FLOW ID, My FLOW App and Streaming Needed.
So how does FLOW WiFi, which sounds a lot like what I’d suggested, work?
FLOW WiFi – Unlimited Internet streaming for the masses
There will be two (2) levels of access on FLOW WiFi:
- Basic access
- Unlimited access
Basic access customer gets 30 MB of free Wi-Fi data for up to 24 hours. Customers login using their FLOW ID and then use the allotment until it is finished or 24 hr have passed. Once the 24hr period has passed, the quota is reset and you can surf again.
The Unlimited access gets free access to Wi-Fi data. Good to note here that both Basic access and Unlimited access users are allowed up to two (2) devices, and can be access by Digicel user.
Digicel smartphone users also have Wi-Fi and can partake of FLOW WiFi, once they have a FLOW device and have signed up for FLOW ID. Also FLOW WiFi at the Air and Sea ports will remain FREE and unlimited to all users.
So when will this come to Jamaica? Not sure, but I’m glad they’re doing the sandboxing of this POC (Proof of concept) in Barbados along with LTE, which has already launched in Barbados as noted in FLOW launches LTE in Barbados as Jamaica gets Huawei E8372, so that when it launches in Jamaica it’ll be smooth sailing!!!
We may not have long to wait as Caricel LTE is on the horizon as noted in Caricel’s Unlimited Modems implies FLOW and Digicel going Unlimited in 2017. Sharing is caring so share this article with your friends, encouraging them to switch to FLOW Jamaica!
One response to “FLOW WiFi tested in Barbados heralds Unlimited Wi-Fi Streaming”
I think that we’ve had this available here but in a different form… FLOW has sponsored hotspots at some Island Grill, Wendy’s and many other restaurants. This was available in the Cayman Islands (in another form) at the Owen Roberts Intl. as far back LIME days… Glad to see this becoming a thing though. Tier 1 carriers have had this since the days of 3G where iPhone users cried about poor reception from AT&T