Microsoft starts selling access to Wi-Fi hotspots on Windows 10 test version

Microsoft has started selling access to Wi-Fi hotspots in Windows 10. Users who are near a hotspot that supports the functionality can purchase access directly from the Windows Store.

Anyone running Windows 10 and near a supported Wi-Fi hotspot will see a network with the message “Buy Wi-Fi from Windows Store”. Access to the respective wireless network, as can be deduced from the notification, can therefore be purchased through the Windows Store. Payment can be made by credit card and Paypal. The new functionality to buy access to Wi-Fi hotspots is in build 10166, Microsoft has announced. Incidentally, the feature to buy WiFi access only works in the American city of Seattle for the time being.

Soon, the paid Wi-Fi feature should also work in the rest of the United States. Whether and when there will be a European release has not been announced. Microsoft probably wants to test whether buying access to Wi-Fi hotspots works well before rolling it out further. It is not known how many WiFi providers are participating.

Microsoft will release Windows 10 on July 29, so the test phase must also be completed by then. Incidentally, Microsoft previously announced that on the release day the software will be the first to be offered to people who participate in the Insiders test program. Due to the planned slow rollout, it may take weeks for everyone who is eligible for the upgrade to actually get access.