Wi-Fi operator FON and BT have tied up to create "a people's network of Wi-Fi".

FON have been trying to get broadband users to share their Wi-Fi connections for quite a while now, but one of it's greatest problems is than many ISP's terms and conditions have tended to prohibit sharing of broadband connections.
But BT seem to have embraced the idea with a scheme to get BT Total Broadband customers to open up a secure channel on their wireless router, and in return users will be able to use FON's network of wireless hotspots, as well as the wireless networks of other BT Total Broadband customers for free.

What this effectively does for BT is to extend it's Openzone Wi-Fi network across a potential three million BT Home Hubs. It was announced that there will be 500,000 members of the community at launch, whose wireless networks will be available to use for all community members, as well as 190,000 FON Wi-Fi hotspots around the country.

While this does appear to be a good, a customer on Option 2 of the BT Broadband packages only has 8GB of download allowance per month and while customers living in rural areas probably won't be affected, those in busy public places could see their monthly usage shoot up, and it's unsure if BT would be sympathetic to claims that "it wasn't me it was the shared Wi-Fi."