Hurricane Irma: Comcast offers free Wi-Fi in Georgia

ajc.com

Credit: phive2015

Credit: phive2015

As Hurricane Irma heads for a landfall in Georgia, Comcast announced it is opening 10,000 free Xfinity Wi-Fi “hotspots” in the affected areas, including for non-customers.

Some are already up and running, like those in Savannah, Augusta and Brunswick, the company said.

However, a map of all the Wi-Fi hotspots is available online at www.Xfinity.com/wifi.

To access customer help for Xfinity, click here.

The hotspots are areas where a phone or computer can access the internet wirelessly. Comcast said they are placing them in shopping districts, parks and businesses.

Once a potential user is in range, he or she should select the “xfinitywifi” network name in the list of available hotspots and then launch a browser, the company said.

Those who are already Xfinity customers can sign in with their usernames and passwords. Those who are not Xfinity subscribers should go to the “Not an Xfinity Internet Customer” section on the sign-in page to get started.

U.S. Public Health Service Capt. Charles Weir gets details on Hurricane Irma efforts early Friday at the FEMA Regional Response Coordination Center in Atlanta. (JOHN SPINK / JSPINK@AJC.COM)

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Comcast says that non-customers will be able to renew their complimentary sessions every two hours through September 15.

The action comes with power interruptions likely and tens of thousands of people on the move away from home. Moreover, people are more dependent than ever on their devices and the ability to connect with the internet.

“It’s critical that impacted residents have a means of communication at their disposal before, during and after a storm with the potential impact of Hurricane Irma,” said Doug Guthrie, regional senior vice president for Comcast in Atlanta.

Customers can chat online with an agent or visit www.customer.xfinity.com/help-and-support, the company said.

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