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:
- Austin-Bergstrom International (AUS)
- Baltimore-Washington International (BWI)
- Buffalo Niagara International (BUF)
- Burbank – Bob Hope International (BUR)
- Chicago – Midway International (MDW)
- Chicago – O’Hare International (ORD)
- Detroit – Metropolitan Wayne County (DTW)
- Los Angeles International (LAX)
- Louisville International Airport (SDF)
- Memphis International (MEM)
- Milwaukee – General Mitchell International (MKE)
- Minneapolis-St. Paul International (MSP)
- Nashville International (BNA)
- New York – John F. Kennedy International (JFK)
- New York – La Guardia International (LGA)
- New York – Stewart International (SWF)
- Newark Liberty International (EWR)
- Oakland International OAK)
- Oklahoma City – Will Rogers International (OKC)
- Omaha – Eppley Airfield (OMA)
- Providence – T.F. Green Airport (PVD)
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, Inc. (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.
Boingo, Boingo Wireless, the Boingo Wireless Logo and Don’t Just Go. Boingo are registered trademarks of Boingo Wireless, Inc. All other trademarks are the properties of their respective owners.
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” that involves risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,” “seeks” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects” and similar references to future periods. These forward-looking statements include the quotations from management in this press release, as well as any statements regarding Boingo’s strategic plans and future guidance. Forward-looking statements are based on the company’s current expectations and assumptions regarding its business, the economy and other future conditions. Since forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. The company’s actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include regional, national or global political, economic, business, competitive, market and regulatory conditions, as well as other risk and uncertainties described more fully in documents filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including Boingo’s Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012 filed with the SEC on March 18, 2013, and Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2013 filed with the SEC on November 12, 2013. Any forward-looking statement made by Boingo in this press release speaks only as of the date on which it is made. Factors or events that could cause the company’s actual results to differ may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for Boingo to predict all of them. Boingo undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by law.
