Residents and emergency personnel in South Florida who may lose internet service in the coming days still have a way to connect with the outside world after the expected impact of Hurricane Irma.
Comcast will open its Xfinity Wi-Fi hotspots to anyone throughout the state for free, whether or not they have Xfinity Internet service.
Users will be able to select the name of the “xfinitywifi” network when they are in the range of one of more than 137,000 hotspots around the state. Those who have the Xfinity service will be able to log in with their username and password for their account and be able to automatically log in to that hotspot in the future.
Non-subscribers will be directed to a login page that will allow them to access a hotspot until September 15, obtaining two hours of use each time before having to re-login.
“We know it’s critically important that everyone has a means of communication at their disposal before, during and after a storm with the possible impact of Hurricane Irma,” Amy Smith, vice president of the Comcast region of Florida, said in a statement.
“By activating our network of WiFi access points statewide now before the storm, we increase the likelihood that more people will stay connected. It’s something we’re proud to do for our communities and our state at a time when everyone we need to support each other. ”
For a list of statewide hotspot locations, click on this link. For alerts to be sent to your phone regarding interrupt updates, click on this link.
Comcast reminds customers to either unplug all devices or use a surge protector so they will not be damaged by power surges once officials can resume service or power has returned.