Makes Wi-Fi Adoption a Business Necessity and Implementation Effortless for the Enterprise
Bellevue, Wash. — Dec. 16, 2003
T-Mobile USA, Inc. and iPass Inc. (Nasdaq: IPAS) today announced a landmark distribution agreement that will enable corporations to access the T-Mobile HotSpot network through the iPass virtual network. Now, enterprise IT managers and CIOs can provide their mobile workers with a seamless experience to connect to the T-Mobile HotSpot network through the iPassConnectTM service interface. This agreement stands to accelerate the adoption of enterprise Wi-Fi usage by combining the largest commercial Wi-Fi service in North America with the world’s largest virtual network.
T-Mobile HotSpot, already known as the leader for reliable Wi-Fi choices for business professionals, owns and operates a carrier-class wireless broadband network at airports, airline clubs and lounges of American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines, Borders Books and Music, Kinko’s and Starbucks coffeehouses. With more than 3,900 convenient locations, the T-Mobile HotSpot network is the largest public Wi-Fi network in the United States. The iPass Global Broadband Roaming (GBR) network, the largest virtual network in the world, spans 24 countries with nearly 3,000 Wi-Fi hotspots in 16 countries as well as over 1,200 Ethernet-enabled venues around the world. This represents T-Mobile’s first Wi-Fi inbound roaming agreement.
Internal T-Mobile research has shown that 88 percent of T-Mobile HotSpot network usage is for business purposes. With this agreement, IT managers will further be able to use the same industry-leading iPass connectivity services that they already supply their mobile workforce to get online using the broad-scale T-Mobile Hotspot Wi-Fi network. The ability for iPass users to access the T-Mobile HotSpot network means that they are using a service that is continuously monitored from a national operations center to ensure customers get optimal performance and reliability. T-Mobile plans to soon deploy the 802.1x security standard across its entire carrier-class Wi-Fi network.
“This new distribution agreement enables corporations to easily connect to our network with the iPassConnect service interface they already use today,” said Joe Sims, vice president and general manager of T-Mobile HotSpot. “This agreement with iPass continues to underscore our strategy of focusing on the enterprise market and meeting the needs of enterprise customers.”
“T-Mobile has been very aggressive in building and promoting what is now North America’s largest single commercial Wi-Fi network,” said John Yunker of Pyramid Research. “By including locations such as airports and Kinko’s, the T-Mobile thinking is right in-line with the iPass business-oriented venue approach to building its virtual Wi-Fi network for the enterprise.”
“The Wi-Fi visions of both iPass and T-Mobile are in synch,” said Ken Denman, chairman and CEO of iPass. “Both companies believe the addition of the T-Mobile HotSpot network to the iPass global Wi-Fi network of business-oriented venues represents a major step closer to the tipping point in the adoption of Wi-Fi by the enterprise.”
Lindsay Morio
T-Mobile USA Media Relations
425-383-4002
About T-Mobile USA, Inc.
Based in Bellevue, Wash., T-Mobile USA, Inc. is the U.S. wireless operation of Deutsche Telekom AG. By the end of the first quarter of 2010, approximately 150 million mobile customers were served by the mobile communication segments of the Deutsche Telekom group - 33.7 million by T-Mobile USA - all via a common technology platform based on GSM and UMTS, the world's most widely used digital wireless standards. T-Mobile USA's innovative wireless products and services help empower people to connect to those who matter most. Multiple independent research studies continue to rank T-Mobile among the highest in numerous regions throughout the U.S. in wireless customer care and call quality. For more information, please visit http://www.T-Mobile.com. T-Mobile is a federally registered trademark of Deutsche Telekom AG.
About iPass
iPass Inc. (Nasdaq: IPAS) is a software-enabled virtual network operator (VNO) that provides enterprise connectivity services permitting secure access to information and applications on corporate networks from over 150 countries around the world. iPass has built a global Internet network that comprises over 20,000 access points, including an iPass Global Broadband Roaming (GBR) footprint of nearly 3,000 Wi-Fi hotspots and 1,200 Ethernet enabled venues at business-oriented locations such as airports, hotels and conference centers worldwide. The award-winning iPassConnect™ service interface simplifies the user connection experience and is easily deployed across multiple computing devices and operating systems. iPass service offerings also give enhanced control over security policy and connectivity management to information technology departments at iPass users like General Motors, Dow Corning and Mellon Financial. Founded in 1996, iPass is headquartered in Redwood Shores, Calif., with offices throughout North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. For more information visit www.ipass.com