Free Wi-Fi for Facebook users coming soon

WASHINGTON: Facebook users, rejoice! Your days of repeatedly asking for Wi-Fi passwords at coffee-shops may soon be over. The social networking website is testing a new Wi-Fi hot spot service for local businesses that grants users free Internet access if they do a Facebook check-in.

Businesses would provide the access via a Facebook router that directs customers to its Facebook page once users check in, the 'Discovery News' reported.

"We are currently running a small test with a few local businesses of a Wi-Fi router that is designed to offer a quick and easy way to access free Wi-Fi after checking in on Facebook," the company confirmed to Inside Facebook. "When you access Facebook Wi-Fi by checking in, you are directed to your local business's Facebook Page," it said.

Developer Tom Waddington is credited with discovering the test when he found a new entry called " social wifi" in the "Like sources" section of the Insights API.

While businesses would still provide the Internet access, Facebook would provide a router. Page owners would be able to monitor how many new 'Likes' the page received from those who used the Wi-Fi service.

Visitors who don't want to jump through the Facebook hoop could still access the network via a password from the business, the report said.