FON Triple its Network Thanks to Neuf Cegetel

After user generated content, let’s talk about User Generated networks ! In september 2005, Martin Varsavsky, one of the greatest spanish entrepreneurs (viatel, Ya.com, Jazztel) was in Paris, trying to connect his laptop to internet but he became crazy when he realised that most of parisian Wifi networks were closed.

So Martin created “FON“, a company aiming at building a global Wifi network that people would enjoy to use but also to develop, by installing FON software on their routeur or by connecting the “Fonera”, a dedicated Wifi access point, to their broadband gateway.

Thanks to investments from Google or Skype, FON is now the biggest Wifi network with more than 280 000 “foneros” all around the world (12 000 in France), opening their Wifi access and connecting to each other hotspot.

Today, Martin Varsavsky was back in Paris to announce a partnership with Neuf Cegetel, second largest broadband operator in France. According to their agreement, Neuf has installed FON firmware on more than 600 000 “neuf box” and should invite its subscribers to be part of the FON network, which could virtually triple its size within the next weeks.

Listen to this exclusive interview of Martin Varsavsky explaining the agreement that could change the French Wireless Industry and force Free or Orange, to open their closed networks (freebox, livebox) to their own subscribers.