BOINGO LAUNCHES HOTSPOT 2.0 AT 21 AIRPORTS IN U.S.
Passpoint-Enabled Wi-Fi Networks Provide Seamless, Secure Access;
Boingo Subscribers Receive Best Customer Experience With Passpoint Profile
LOS ANGELES – Feb. 24, 2014 – Boingo Wireless (NASDAQ: WIFI), the leading DAS and Wi-Fi provider that serves consumers, carriers and advertisers worldwide, today announced it has launched Hotspot 2.0 networks at 21 airports in the United States, providing seamless access to a secure Wi-Fi network for monthly subscribers and roaming partners using the industry’s latest technologies.
The 21 airports, which serve more than 415 million passengers annually, include seven of the top 20 busiest airports in the United States and key airports in all regions of the country. The launch includes the addition of a new Passpoint-enabled network – “Passpoint Secure” – in each of the airports that provides instant access to users on IOS 7 devices with a Passpoint profile installed.
Passpoint-certified mobile devices – such as smartphones and tablets – can automatically identify and authenticate to Passpoint-enabled hotspots associated with their Wi-Fi provider without the need for login pages. Once the user downloads a Passpoint profile, their device will establish a secure, WPA2 encrypted connection whenever they’re in range of a supported hotspot.
“We’re really excited about the dramatic improvement in the customer experience for users equipped with a Passpoint profile,” said Derek Peterson, Chief Technology Officer for Boingo Wireless. “Subscribers with unlimited Wi-Fi accounts will benefit from automatic logins to secure networks as soon as they walk in the terminal or step off a plane.”
“Making Wi-Fi connectivity and roaming as seamless and secure as cellular has been the Hotspot 2.0 promise since its inception,” said Peter Jarich, Current Analysis Vice President for Consumer and Infrastructure research. “By rolling out ‘Passpoint Secure’ to 21 airports serving nearly a half-billion passengers a year, Boingo is helping to advance the ecosystem for standards-based roaming and carrier data offload while maximizing the use of available spectrum.”
Boingo monthly subscribers will receive an invitation to download a Passpoint Secure profile that provides automatic login to secure Boingo networks at no additional cost. The profile eliminates the need for login screens, web page redirects, or apps; and customers will receive the fastest available connection on a WPA2 encrypted network a few seconds after turning on their device. The profile will also provide access to Boingo’s partner networks that are Passpoint-enabled for roaming.
The Hotspot 2.0 networks are also now available for mobile operators that want to leverage seamless Wi-Fi authentication for carrier offload. Boingo’s existing roaming agreements include 5 of the world’s top 10 mobile operators and three of the four tier one mobile operators in the U.S.
Boingo locations with Passpoint Secure networks now include the following airports:
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Boingo was the first Wi-Fi provider to launch a public Next Generation Hotspot (NGH) network in September 2013. The “Boingo Passpoint” network was activated at Chicago’s O’Hare International airport for testing by mobile carriers and handset manufacturers. The success of this initiative led to this widespread deployment of the same technology.
As a leading proponent for Passpoint-enabled roaming, the company participated in the Wireless Broadband Alliance’s Live NGH Experience at the Wi-Fi Global Congress in Beijing in November, and will participate in the WBA’s Live NGH Experience this week at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
About Boingo Wireless
Boingo Wireless (NASDAQ: WIFI) helps the world stay connected. Our vast footprint of small cell networks covers more than a million DAS and Wi-Fi locations and reaches more than 1 billion consumers annually – in places as varied as airports, stadiums, universities, and military bases. For more information about the Boingo story, visit www.Boingo.com.
