Boingo Connects Wi-Fi Networks Worldwide
Posted by geoffwhiting on December 8, 2007
Boingo Wireless is offering a one-click access to one of the world’s largest networks of Wi-Fi hotspots by partnering with fellow Wi-Fi leaders AT&T, BT, Openzone, Wayport, Korea Telecom and T-Mobile. With more than 150 Wi-Fi operators, over 100,000 hotspots and almost 500 SSIDs, Boingo is simplifying worldwide connectivity into a single username, password and payment. An SSID is a unique identifier attached to the header of packets sent over a WLAN that acts as a password when a mobile device tries to connect to a hotspot.
In addition to its partnerships to ease hotspot access for travelers, Boingo has kept itself pretty busy. It recently partnered with US cellco Alltel to launch Alltel Wi-Fi, a service that provides customers with instant laptop access to thousands of hotspots in North and South America. It also offers wireless broadband access via the Alltel Wireless Internet service, which provides Internet access from a laptop or smartphone at speeds up to 2.4 Mbps over Alltel’s nationwide data network.
This comes after Boingo acquired Wi-Fi networks at seven airports from Sprint Nextel. That gives Boingo 30 airports. The deal also allows Sprint Nextel subscribers to access any of Boingo’s hotspots worldwide.
Then there’s GoBoingo, the company’s new authentication utility for Windows XP and Vista. It automatically identifies if hotspots are associated with Boingo and helps initiate a login.
The subscriptions Boingo offers vary enough to be useful for different needs. For those who stay in North America, Boingo Unlimited offers unlimited access to hotspots in the US, Mexico and Canada starting at $21.95 a month. Roaming at Boingo hotspots elsewhere is billed to the user, most often 12 cents to 18 cents a minute.
Boingo Global is a $39-per-month package that gives access to all 100,000+ Boingo hotspots with no roaming fees or extra usage charges. This is the first worldwide flat-rate plan for hotspots.
Boingo As You Go is a package that charges the consumer only when he access a Boingo hotspot. In North America, it is $7.95 a day, and internationally it is $9.95 a day. For the international plan, roaming fees apply.
Boingo Mobile is a $7.95-per-month worldwide service downloadable for people with Wi-Fi enabled Nokia or Windows Media 5.0 devices. It comes embedded on the Belkin Wi-Fi phone for Skype. The Boingo Mobile system identifies hotspots and automatically logs its users in.
