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"Opt- out SCAM - BEWARE!"
on by RAWPros It generally works in seedy MacDonald's locations when you're down and out.
Cons Abysmal customer service.
Access points rarely work outside establishment, who wants MacD and Starbucks anywayz?Summary When flying, I was able to get free wi-fi at Denver airport. In Miami, it was Boingo. It appeared to be a fair deal, but wireless in captive areas should be free or accessible by direct cash transaction, so you don't need to involve a revolving credit account.
If I had any idea that it would take over an hour to discontinue account , as a result of their opt-out obfuscation, they would have not obtained my business.
Easy to join. Extremely hard to stop charges to your credit card account. Expect over half hour wait on phone for abysmal "customer care."
If you don't want to go into establishments Boingo rarely works well in parking lot or nearby. Only one access point in Dominican Republic and none in Haiti. -
"Worst of all."
on by Baboo 2008Pros There is no Pros
Cons can't connect and they charge more than the plan
Summary I signed for Boingo AsYouGo ($9.95 for 24 hour access period) and they still charge my credit card for Boingo Unlimited - Special Offer!
RUN FROM THEM !! -
"Boingo is a scammer"
on by mgulottaPros None (They have Wifi, but scam you into using it)
Cons Connection Software is a Scam
Summary On June 18, 2008 I needed to connect to the internet in Memphis International Airport and used the airport WIFI through Boingo Wireless. Boingo requires (or makes you believe that you are required) to download "connection software" onto your computer to use their service. Later in Budapest, Hungary (June 28th) while at the hotel (and playing around with their software) it connected to the internet with no confirmation screen and charged my credit card. The Boingo software in general does not give you any sort of information on price or let you know you will be charged based on clicking one button. Boingo is taking advantage of the fact that travelers need to quickly connect to the internet, they force you or trick you into downloading this software, and then taking advantage of people's lack of understanding of how this software actually works. At the very least they should be required to inform the customer that they will be charged separately for the transaction by clicking on a certain button and provide a confirmation screen. By not providing this confirmation screen people are 'accidentally' connecting to the internet at other hotspots. I informed Boingo customer service of this situation and they acknowledged that this happens all the time, but would not refund my money. It was clear from this encounter that they expect this situation, have dealt with it on many occasions, and most likely derive a significant amount of their revenue from this scam. I would recommend anyone having this problem report Boingo to the Internet Fraud Complaint Center, the Better Business Bureau, and the Consumer Protection Agency. This is happening to a lot of people and they know about it. Also contact your credit card company and contest the charges.
Updated
Boingo requires (or makes you believe that you are required) to download "connection software" onto your computer to use their service. Later while at the hotel (and playing around with their software) it connected to the internet with no confirmation screen and charged my credit card. The Boingo software in general does not give you any sort of information on price or let you know you will be charged based on clicking one button. Boingo is taking advantage of the fact that travelers need to quickly connect to the internet, they force you or trick you into downloading this software, and then take advantage of people's lack of understanding of how this software actually works. At the very least they should be required to inform the customer that they will be charged separately for the transaction by clicking on a certain button and provide a confirmation screen. By not providing this confirmation screen people are 'accidentally' connecting to the internet at other hotspots. I informed Boingo customer service of this situation and they acknowledged that this happens all the time, but would not refund my money. It was clear from this encounter that they expect this situation, have dealt with it on many occasions, and most likely derive a significant amount of their revenue from this scam. -
"Ok for US-only, terrible for international."
on by mariuswatzPros The connectivity software is easy to use.
Cons Lack of transparency when it comes to "premium" hot spots where you'll be charged exorbitant amounts for access. I once got charged $700 for a single month and am currently trying to get a refund. Bad online support.
Summary The price of roaming with "premium" hot spots negates the usefulness of the service. It would be ok if Boingo's software would give a thorough overview of charges, but instead they make it very easy to spend a lot of extra money for even for minimal access times. For US users who travel a lot domestically and never use it in a premium location it might make sense, otherwise Boingo's service is too expensive and non-transparent to be useful.
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"scam billing system"
on by robertmillarPros used hot spot once in Mexico City
Cons Their terms and pricing seem to change and without realizing you are subscribing, this company ends up charging you a monthly rate and then increasing it over time. I will report them to the attorney general's office in my home state.
Summary don't give these people your credit card number even for a one time use.
Boingo Wireless user reviews
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