WifiRoaming
Latest
Home is where you roam: AT&T, Fon sign global WiFi agreement
AT&T customers traveling overseas may not have to look too far for WiFi access in the future. Today, the company signed an agreement with global hotspot provider Fon that gives AT&T customers access to Fon's nearly 12 million hotspots on smartphones and other WiFi-enabled devices. Fon's members will gain access to AT&T's nearly 30,000 hotspots in the US in return. Fon's a fascinating business -- the company's members share their home WiFi and in turn get free access at all other Fon hotspots. The company provides special routers to members that prioritize the homeowner's internet traffic, but allow secured access to other Fon members nearby. To access the Fon hotspots, AT&T customers just need to install the free WiFi International App. This app lets AT&T customers with the 300 MB or 800 MB Data Global Add-On package use up to 1 GB of WiFi at no extra charge. Likewise, Fon members using the free Fon app will gain access to AT&T's hotspots located throughout the US.
WiFi alliance begins hardware testing on Passpoint cell-to-hotspot roaming program
It was over a year ago now that we heard about the WiFi Alliance's intention to certify hotspots and simplify the potential for mobile handovers. Now, it's just announced hardware testing of its WiFi-CERTIFIED Passpoint program, which promises to let phones and mobile devices automatically discover and connect to compatible networks. The specification used is the result of cooperation between service providers and equipment manufacturers, with the aim of creating an industry-wide solution for shared WiFi access and roaming agreements. Already hardware from the likes of Cisco, Intel, MediaTek and Qualcomm has received Passpoint certification, leaving the ball in the court of service providers, once testing is complete.
GSMA and WBA team up to develop WiFi roaming framework for cellphones, tablets
Many phones have WiFi, and there are hotspots in all sorts of places these days, so wouldn't it be cool if you could use them for roaming, regardless of provider? Well, if a new collaboration between the GSMA and the Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) has any say in the matter, one day you might be able to do just that. The goal is to simplify how cellphones can connect to those hotspots, by developing a technical framework for seamless WiFi roaming. The new standard will be based on the WBA's "Next Generation Hotspot" initiative and the WiFi Alliance's "Passpoint certification" system, taking cues from the GSMA's established roaming experience. The basic principles have already been laid down, and just require network formalities such as security and billing to be taken care of. No peep on when we might start seeing dividends, alas, so for now your subway ride can continue in (relative) peace.
iPass wants a world of interconnected WiFi, a roaming 'renaissance'
Some ideas are undeniably sensible, and zero-click WiFi roaming across carriers and countries is one of them. That's why iPass has set itself the unenviable but likely profitable task of convincing global telecoms giants to overlook their differences and form an "Open Mobile Exchange" based on its cloud-based authentication technology. It won't be the first to embark on such a voyage of persuasion: Skype is already on the case and Boingo is too (at least, sort of), but there are still plenty of fragmented hotspot services out there waiting to be crushed and blended by an effortless roaming technology. We just hope iPass has perfected its pleading email template: "Dearest Carrier, have you considered...?" Full PR after the break.
