Skype and Google invest in universal WiFi

A Spanish start-up company called Fon has attracted a $21.5m investment from investors including Skype and Google to build a worldwide internet access sharing programme.

The service aims to build its service by having consumers share their broadband internet access with other individuals.

Users are required to download a special software application to their WiFi router or purchase a router with the software pre-installed. The software only supports the Linksys WRT54GL, WRT54GS and WRT54G routers. The company expects to add support for additional routers in the future.

The firmware upgrade creates a second separate network that operates independently from the user's home network to prevent any security issues. The shared network is configured to use no more than 50 per cent of a user's bandwidth.