Towerstream to expand Wi-Fi program to key markets

Towerstream Corp. (TWER) said it is expanding its pilot Wi-Fi network in Manhattan and could build out more Wi-Fi hotspots in New York City, as well as San Francisco and Chicago, this year.
“Over the past year, Towerstream has deployed a pilot Wi-Fi network in Midtown Manhattan to explore using Wi-Fi as a supplement to mobile data offloading in areas with a high level of mobile broadband usage. Towerstream’s outdoor Wi-Fi hotzones improve the experience of users of Wi-Fi-enabled smart phones, tablets and other devices who struggle with network congestion in areas with a high volume of mobile broadband subscribers,” the company said in a prepared statement.
Using fixed WiMAX technology, Towerstream targets businesses with its fixed wireless services, offering speeds of T1, T3, 100 and 1,000 megabits per second connections.
Towerstream said its Wi-Fi network supported an average of 250,000 connections and more than 1 terabyte of data transferred per day, primarily over handsets. Its “hotzone” initiative will have up to 200 Mbps of bandwidth per location.
“Towerstream’s initial Wi-Fi pilot has received an outstanding response and supports a high quantity of data traffic,” said Towerstream CEO Jeff Thompson. “The success of our pilot network of hotzones in New York City underscores the demand for high-capacity Wi-Fi networks, and we are excited to expand Towerstream Wi-Fi hotzones to additional key markets throughout the country.”
AT&T Mobility also is stepping up its Wi-Fi initiative. Last week, the nation’s second-largest carrier announced plans to expand its Wi-Fi hotzones offering in New York City as well as plans to move the program out west to San Francisco. Networks in both markets have been singled out by company executives as having the most trouble handling customer traffic.