Just wondering as my phone usually connects to them when they are in range (have a weak signal at work) but I don't know if I am being charged for using it? I have never signed up to an openzone account with BT and am a little worried that maybe Orange are somehow charging me without my prior consent for using openzones.... Can anyone clarify how these zones work?

Normally you have to be a b t customer and you sign up to allow your router as a hotspot, this then lets you use anyone elses.

You may be connected to it but your probably using the 3g signal.

I tried it once with 3g off and it took me straight to a landing page which wanted me to pay for access iirc

and 3G I guess is what my phone is putting under my normal data charges each month - or out of the data charge allowance anyway. Think I have 500mb a month so doubt I get close to that - Use wi-fi at home which needs password, etc.

BT openzone wifi connections require a username and password to login, entered via a webpage before any data can pass over the connection. As a T-Mobile web'n'walk plus customer it used to be possible to use the BT Openzone hotspots for free.

At some point in the past, maybe you tried to connect to one as its an unencrypted connection to see if you could get a free internet connection.