T-Mobile customers signing up to Web 'n Walk Plus (or Max) will get free access to the operator's 39,000 hot spots from January. So for £12.50 a month users can get 3G and Wi-Fi connectivity, and be allowed to use instant messaging too...

Web 'n Walk is already one of the more attractive options for users wanting mobile internet access, though usage restrictions on the basic service limit it to general web browsing. The Plus, and Max, services offer a higher fair-use level and permission to use instant messaging and such like. Charging users again for T-Mobile-branded Wi-Fi access always seemed harsh, even if it comes with truly unlimited quantities of data.

Of course, 3G networks are expensive to run, and moving punters onto Wi-Fi with cheap back-haul (over ADSL lines) should save T-Mobile money. But that's only true if the users would have been using their data connections anyway, so offering it as an addition to Web 'n Walk makes sense.

Users get faster connections, while T-Mobile saves money - the wonders that convergence can bring! As long as punters don't start using the service for VoIP - that would still be against the terms and conditions. ®

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