People like free stuff, and that goes for WiFi services too. A survey of users show that 58% of users only use public hotspots when they are free. The rest presumably are willing to pay. Another interesting fact is that lack of necessity to go online and lack of equipment are bigger reason than price that people don't use public WiFI. No word though on the confusion of having hundreds of different companies running the hotspots, all with different prices and authentications.
Via [informationweek.com]