Last week, free Wi-Fi for iPhone users (and for laptop-wielding hackers) appeared at AT&T Wi-Fi hotspots nationwide - then disappeared soon after, presumably in response to the hacking activity.

Now it's back - and it's official.

"AT&T's website officially states that all iPhone rate plans now include 'access to AT&T's more than 17,000 Wi-Fi hotspots' across the US," reports Ars Technica's Chris Foresman.

UPDATE: ...and now it's gone again. The AT&T site no longer shows the 'access to Wi-Fi' mention among iPhone plans. Looks like some kinda raging internal debate is going on at T about how to handle this...

More here from iLounge ... more here from Computerworld ... and more here from MacRumors.

Image above is from Ars Technica.