SBC Communications Inc. said it plans to deploy more than 20,000 Wi-Fi hot spots in 6,000 venues during the next three years and create an integrated Wi-Fi and next-generation wireless service with Cingular Wireless L.L.C. that will allow customers to move between the Wi-Fi network and Cingular’s wide area network.
The regional telecommunications provider said the FreedomLink service would be available by the end of 2006 in more than 6,000 hotels, airports, convention centers and other venues throughout SBC’s 13-state territory, and it plans to deploy more than 1,000 hot spots in several hundred venues by the end of this year.
SBC added that it plans to leverage its existing network infrastructure when possible to deploy the Wi-Fi hot spots, including public telephone infrastructure to establish access points and both DSL and faster T1 connections to transport data from the access point to the network. Verizon Wireless announced a similar deployment initiative earlier this year leveraging 1,000 public telephone terminals in New York City to house free Wi-Fi access points for its current DSL customers.
SBC said the FreedomLink service will initially be offered to customers on a transactional basis with a one-time fee for daily sessions that will be joined by a subscription service offering unlimited monthly access shortly after launch. The company noted it would offer “deeply” discounted pricing for customers who combine the Wi-Fi service with other SBC services and packages.
SBC claims to be the nation’s leading DSL provider with 2.8 million current subscribers and said it plans to target its existing customer base to lower acquisition costs and speed Wi-Fi adoption.
To augment its own deployment strategy SBC announced a roaming agreement with Wayport Inc., which currently provides both wired and wireless broadband access in more than 650 locations nationwide. Wayport, which has announced similar roaming agreements with Verizon Wireless, AT&T Wireless Services Inc. and Sprint PCS, will also provide services that include its access control and customized SBC splash pages. SBC said it will also pursue roaming agreements with other Wi-Fi providers.
SBC also said it expects to launch an integrated offering with Cingular using the carrier’s GPRS/EDGE network sometime in late 2004 or early 2005.
“What sets us apart from other companies currently offering Wi-Fi is the breadth of our deployment strategy, the pricing flexibility and our history of reliable service that we’ll bring to customers and businesses,” said Edward Whitacre Jr., chairman and chief executive officer of SBC. “With our existing network infrastructure, Cingular assets, brand awareness and large base of DSL customers, SBC companies are in the best position to meet the growing demand for a consistent, wireless broadband experience.”
