Comcast opens free Xfinity Wi-Fi hotspot network as Hurricane Ian approaches

Hurricanes and other severe storms can wreak havoc in the digital world, toppling systems, networks and connections.

To help residents and emergency personnel stay connected before and the impacts of Hurricane Ian, Comcast’s network of approximately 90,000 Xfinity public Wi-Fi hotspots across Central, North and South -West Florida and the Panhandle will be made free to anyone, including non-Xfinity customers.

How to connect: For a map of Xfinity public WiFi hotspots, which are located indoors and outdoors in places such as shopping districts, parks and businesses, visit Xfinity.com/wifi.

When a hotspot is in range, select the “xfinitywifi” network from a device’s list of available networks and launch a browser. Login options will appear for Xfinity customers and non-customers.

Xfinity internet customers can login with their account credentials and they will be automatically connected to Xfinity WiFi hotspots in their range in the future. Alternatively, they can download the Xfinity WiFi Hotspots app and log in with their account credentials.

Non-Xfinity internet subscribers must find the “Connect” section and agree to the terms and conditions to be connected.

Please note that if a user does not see the “Accept and Connect” button, the hotspot they are trying to connect to is in an Xfinity customer’s home and is not open to the public.

Non-customers will be able to renew their free sessions every 2 hours.

“We know it’s extremely important for everyone to have a means of communication available to them before, during and after a storm with the potential impact of Hurricane Ian,” said Amy Smith, regional senior vice president. for Comcast’s Florida region. “By activating our network of WiFi hotspots in Florida now before the storm hits, we’re increasing the chances that more people can stay connected. It’s something we’re proud to do for our communities at a time when we need to all support each other.

There are also a few simple and easy things customers can do now to prepare and stay connected, even in inclement weather. They can start by downloading Comcast’s free mobile apps:

• My Xfinity Account – Receive outage updates and report service interruptions.
• Xfinity Stream – Watch live TV, get weather updates, and download shows and movies in advance to watch offline in case you lose energy.
• Xfinity Wi-Fi Hotspots – Xfinity Internet customers can access millions of Xfinity Wi-Fi hotspots available nationwide.

If the weather becomes severe enough, Comcast can send text alerts to customers with information about service outages or with tips for restoring their services. Customers can log in to My Account to ensure their mobile numbers are added.
Comcast has offered these additional helpful tips and safety precautions:

• Customers should plug televisions, modems, and cable boxes into a surge protector to protect them from damage in the event of a lightning strike or sudden power outage.
• Emergency management procedures state that power must be restored first and Comcast must be cleared that it is safe for our crews to begin any restoration work. If customers experience a loss of service due to a power outage, local power must first be restored before Xfinity video, phone, or Internet services can resume operation.
• If customers have power but no Xfinity services, Comcast recommends restarting or resetting devices, including wireless gateways, modems, routers, and set-top boxes.
• In some cases, customers may have power restored, but not their Xfinity services, because commercial power has not been restored to our network in that area.
• Customers should always stay away from downed power lines and cables in the interest of safety.
• Port a home phone number to a mobile phone number so customers can receive emergency calls even when they’re away from home.

Tips for Comcast Business customers:

• Download the Comcast Business app and enable Be Anywhere to allow another device to make calls with a business’s caller ID.
• Enable call forwarding so work calls can be received on mobile devices.
• Verify that the backup battery is working so that voice services are still available during a power outage.
• Make sure the Connection Pro services are properly configured. The automatic wireless backup feature will help devices stay operational.
• Comcast is committed to helping customers stay connected to what matters most to them – this hurricane season and all year round.

For more information, customers can chat online with an agent, visit Xfinity.com/response, or connect with Comcast on Twitter at @xfinitysupport.
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