Determining a preferred wifi hotspot

A method of determining preferred WIFI hotspots based on estimated network bandwidth for each of the available WIFI hotspots, the method comprising:

• receiving, by a computer processor, anonymous bandwidth information, wherein the anonymous bandwidth information comprises bandwidth metrics for each of a plurality of available WIFI hotspots;
• detecting, by the computer processor, a wireless device entering a first area;
• receiving, by the computer processor, a location of the wireless device in the first area;
• determining, by the computer processor, at least one location available in the anonymous bandwidth information that substantially matches the received location of the wireless device;
• identifying, by the computer processor, a set of estimated bandwidth metrics for each of the at least one determined location;
• identifying, by the computer processor, bandwidth requirements of the wireless device;
• determining, by the computer processor, preferences based on contextual information corresponding to the wireless device and its user;
• and
• recommending, by the computer processor, preferred WIFI hotspots in the first area, based on the identified bandwidth requirements, the determined preferences, and the identified set of estimated bandwidth metrics corresponding to the at least one determined location.

A computer program product for determining preferred WIFI hotspots, the computer program product comprising:

• one or more computer readable storage medium and program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage medium, the program instructions comprising:
• program instructions to detect an attempt to connect to a first WIFI hotspot by a wireless device in a first area;
• program instructions to identify at least one bandwidth requirement of the wireless device, in response to detecting the attempt to connect to the first WIFI hotspot;
• program instructions to determine preferences based on contextual information corresponding to the wireless device and its user, in response to detecting the attempt to connect to the first WIFI hotspot;
• program instructions to collect a plurality of WIFI hotspots available in the first area and identify prices and network bandwidth offered by each of the plurality of WIFI hotspots, in response to detecting the attempt to connect to the first WIFI hotspot;
• and
• program instructions to recommend preferred WIFI hotspots in the first area based on the identified bandwidth requirements, the determined preferences, and the process and network bandwidth offered by each of the plurality of WIFI hotspots.