Free AT&T Wi-Fi for Windows Mobile Users

(MoneyWatch) 
Big news for Windows Mobile smartphone owners! Now you can get free Wi-Fi access at any of AT&T's nationwide hotspots.

You have to be an AT&T customer, natch, just like the iPhone and BlackBerry users who are already enjoying Wi-Fi goodness at Barnes & Noble, McDonald's, Starbucks, and various other AT&T-powered locations.

Here's the full scoop, straight from corporate:

• Beginning this month, customers with Wi-Fi-enabled Windows Mobile smartphones and unlimited and other qualifying data plans will receive unlimited access to thousands of U.S. AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Spots nationwide.
• Eligible Windows Mobile customers can access AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Spots at over 20,000 nationwide locations ?€" the majority of customers will be eligible as most have a qualifying data plan.
• AT&T Wi-Fi will be easy to use on Windows Phones because of auto-authentication: If you have Wi-Fi on, you'll automatically connect.
• The service will launch on 9/14 with Samsung smartphones with other devices to follow in the coming weeks, and all 6.5 devices will be supported.

First thought: What the hell took you so long, AT&T? Second thought: Say what you will about the carrier that drives countless iPhone users insane; I don't see Sprint, Verizon, or T-Mobile giving away Wi-Fi.

Okay, time for your thoughts. Is this the best news you've heard all day? Or don't you care all that much about Wi-Fi because you're cruising along at 3G anyway? Get your blab on in the comments. [via jkOnTheRun]