WifiSpot: Unitymedia opens customer router despite explanation of the situation

The warning of the consumer center North Rhine-Westphalia for Unitymedias WifiSpot plans did not seem much. Although it led to a declaration of injunction, the cable network operator merely undertook to adapt the terms of business. The plan to open the routers of its customers automatically for WLAN hotspots will continue to exist. The “unblocking of a second SSID is legally possible without the express consent of our customers”, quotes golem.de the company.


During the year, cable internet users of Unitymedia receive an automatic update for your WLAN router. This activates with WifiSpot a second WLAN, through which other customers of Unitymedia - who have activated WifiSpot as well - can surf free of charge if you are nearby. Users and consumers also disrupt the fact that the opt-in rather than the opt-in principle applies to customers. Therefore, affected customers must actively intervene to avoid WifiSpot, instead of consciously choosing and activating the feature.


In mid-May, the fact that the introduction of WifiSpot corresponds to an extension of the terms of the contract, which the user must explicitly agree to, was a warning. Another criticism of the consumer center NRW is the contractual clause that the user has to refrain from deactivating WifiSpot or to make access for other users more difficult. Unitymedia wants to adapt this part of the business conditions. For example, the user will be allowed to switch off his router during the holiday - and thus disable WifiSpot. Then, however, the user should not be able to surf more WifiSpot accesses of other households. The previous business conditions allowed a corresponding interpretation according to which the user should not turn off the router. According to Unitymedia, there should never be a restriction to this extent.


The further development remains to be seen. Consumers could, among other things, file an injunction. In addition, clarifying discussions are currently taking place between Unitymedia and the Consumer Center NRW. They will then discuss how to proceed.