From March 7, 2011 to April 15, 2011, Bell Mobility is offering Bell iPhone users auto authentication1 at select Starbucks locations in Toronto (see FAQs below).

Your smartphone will automatically switch from the Bell network to Bell Wi-Fi Hotspots without a manual login, so you can get fast Internet2 that doesn't count against your mobile rate plan.

iPhone Users

  1. Download the configuration file to your device.
  2. Enable Wi-Fi on your device by going to 'Settings' and turning Wi-Fi 'ON'.
  3. Wait for 'BELL_WIFI' Wi-Fi network to appear. Select the blue arrow for more details and turn Auto-Join 'ON'.

GENERAL QUESTIONS

TROUBLESHOOTING QUESTIONS



Q. What is the Bell Wi-Fi service?
A. The Bell Wi-Fi service allows you to connect your laptop or Wi-Fi-enabled device to the Internet at any of the Bell Hotspots across Canada - regardless of whether you subscribe to a Bell data plan or not.

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Q. What is a Bell Wi-Fi Hotspot?
A. A Bell Hotspot is a place where you can access the Internet via Bell's Wi-Fi service. Bell Wi-Fi Hotspots can be found at over 770 Starbucks locations across Canada.

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Q. What is Bell Wi-Fi auto authentication?
A. Bell Wi-Fi auto authentication allows subscribers within the radius of a Bell Wi-Fi Hotspot to seamlessly switch from the Bell mobile network to a Bell Wi-Fi Hotspot. The new process eliminates the need for any user login, making it easier and faster for Bell Mobility subscribers to connect to Bell Wi-Fi. In order for Bell Wi-Fi auto authentication to work, the device must be configured correctly. Type http://gofree.bell.ca in your iPhone browser to install the configuration on your device.

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Q. Is Bell Wi-Fi auto authentication available for everyone?
A. Bell Wi-Fi auto authentication service is currently enabled for BlackBerry® users who have been contacted by Bell and all Bell Mobility iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS and iPhone4 users.

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Q. Is Bell Wi-Fi auto authentication available at all Bell Wi-Fi Hotspots?
A. Bell Wi-Fi auto authentication is currently only available at select Starbucks locations in the downtown Toronto area.

The 11 Starbucks locations are:
1250 Bay St. (1 block N. of Bloor St.)
50 Bloor St. W. (at Bay St. inside Cumberland Mall)
55 Bloor St. W. (at Bay St. in Indigo, Manulife Centre)
110 Bloor St. W. (E. of Avenue Rd. in Winners)
43 Eglinton Ave. E. (just E. of Yonge St.)
675 Yonge St. (at Charles St., 1 block S. of Bloor St.)
2293 Yonge St. (just N. of Eglinton Ave.)
2300 Yonge St. (just N. of Eglinton Ave. in Indigo, Eglinton Centre)
2451 Yonge St. (cnr. Erskine Ave., 3 blocks N. of Eglinton Ave.)
2630 Yonge St. (at Craighurst Ave., opp. Sporting Life)
139 Yorkville Ave. (at Hazelton Ave.)

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Q. Will I be charged for using Wi-Fi at the selected Starbucks locations?
A. Bell provides free, unlimited access at all Starbucks locations. Subscribers using Bell Wi-Fi auto authentication will not incur any additional data charges.

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TOUBLESHOOTING QUESTIONS

Q. Why am I not able to connect with the Bell Wi-Fi network using Bell Wi-Fi auto authentication?
A. In order for Bell Wi-Fi auto authentication to work properly, your Wi-Fi enabled device must be configured correctly and Wi-Fi must be enabled. Type http://gofree.bell.ca in your iPhone browser for information on your device. Note that Bell Wi-Fi auto authentication is currently available to select Bell Mobility subscribers with iPhones and qualifying BlackBerry® devices.

If you are still experiencing difficulties, you can manually search and connect to Hotspot_Bell. Refer to your manual for instructions on how to do this, or contact Technical Solutions at 1 877 328 2123

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Q. How do I know if I'm connected to the Bell Wi-Fi network?
A. Check your device:

iPhone users will see a Wi-Fi icon at the top-left corner of the status bar. You can also confirm by going to 'Settings' to verify the network name listed beside the 'Wi-Fi' option.

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Q. Why are my applications and services slower when connected to the Bell Wi-Fi Hotspot?
A. The speed of the Bell Wi-Fi connection depends on the number of users connected to the Bell Wi-Fi Hotspot.

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Q. Why do some services not work while my smartphone is connected on the Bell Wi-Fi network?
A. Bell is working on improving this customer experience in the future. Stay tuned!

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If your question is not answered here, please call 1 877 328-2123.

1 Auto authentication service is currently available to subscribers with select iPhone and BlackBerry handsets with the required configurations.

2 All Bell apps, with the exception of the following, work on the Wi-Fi network: TV & Radio, and Tunes and Apps. Bell is not responsible for the performance and quality of 3rd party apps on the Wi-Fi network.