Wi-Fi provider Boingo Wireless now has a global Wi-Fi roaming agreement with AT&T.
The partnership expands AT&T’s hotspot access abroad, while allowing Boingo customers in the United States to use a wider range of hotspots through AT&T’s Wi-Fi network. Boingo said that its hotspots at major international airports are available to AT&T customers immediately, with service to expand throughout 2013.
“AT&T’s domestic Wi-Fi network helps fill in the gaps for Boingo users actively seeking Wi-Fi hotspots,” said Howard Buzick, VP of business development for Boingo. “With the explosion in both Wi-Fi enabled devices and customer data demand, Wi-Fi roaming continues to be a key facilitator for global data access.”
The international Wi-Fi roaming involves the use of an application, AT&T’s Wi-Fi International app, which is available to the carrier’s customers who subscribe to its 300 megabyte or 800 MB global data packages. Those customers can gain access to Boingo’s Wi-Fi hotspots via the application and are allowed up to 1 gigabyte of Wi-Fi usage each month at no additional charge.
Boingo has a network of distributed antenna systems and Wi-Fi hotspots with more than 600,000 hotspots and more than 100 roaming agreements globally, with its hotspots managed and operated by subsidiary Concourse Communications Group. AT&T has more than 32,000 domestic Wi-Fi hotspots.
Boingo’s plans range from $8 to $20 per 24 hours of Wi-Fi access around the world, or up to 2,000 minutes of Wi-Fi connectivity for $59.
Both companies are also participating in the Wireless Broadband Alliance’s trials of seamless Wi-Fi roaming.