Boingo gains access to T-Mobile Hotspots

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

------ Forwarded Message
From: "Robert J. Berger" <rberger () ibd com>
Date: Wed, 19 Mar 2003 14:41:10 +0900


[This is pretty impressive. It looked like T-mobile was not going to share
their network with anyone, so this is pretty big news ­ Rob]


T-Mobile and Boingo Partner to Deliver Improved User Experience for T-Mobile
Hotspot Customers

    Business Editors/High-Tech Writers
    CTIA Wireless 2003

    NEW ORLEANS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 18, 2003--

    Driving Mass Adoption: New Software Enhances User Experience and
    Promotes Connectivity Between T-Mobile Wi-Fi and 2.5G Networks

    T-Mobile USA, Inc. and Boingo Wireless, Inc. today announced they have
entered into an agreement to co-develop unique end-user facing software and
services that will make it even easier for customers to discover and access
T-Mobile's Wi-Fi (802.11b) wireless broadband network of hotspots and its
nationwide GPRS 2.5G data network.

    John Stanton, chairman of T-Mobile USA; and Sky Dayton, CEO and chairman
of Boingo Wireless announced today's news during keynote sessions at the
CTIA Wireless 2003 conference. The partnership announcement represents the
two companies' commitment to drive wireless Internet access to the masses by
making it more convenient and easy to use for consumers.

    Stanton said today's announcement builds on T-Mobile's GET MORE promise
to provide the best value in wireless services and is a further example of
how industry leaders are partnering to drive the success of Wi-Fi by
focusing on the customer experience. "T-Mobile has made good progress in our
HotSpot service over the last year, more than doubling the number of
convenient locations and deploying a carrier grade network to ensure a
superior customer experience. Boingo has emerged as the clear leader in this
new Wi-Fi software and services space, pioneering ease of use and roaming
among hot spots and wide area networks. Today's announcement with Boingo
moves us closer to our vision of delivering customers seamless, wireless
connectivity through the combined the benefits of our standards based GPRS
network and Wi-Fi."

    "Boingo and T-Mobile share a common vision - that bringing Wi-Fi and
2.5G networks together into a single convenient service is the equivalent of
wireless nirvana," said Dayton during his onstage keynote interview with
CTIA president Tom Wheeler. "Wi-Fi hot spots continue to spread like
wildfire and in the next few years will cover all well-populated areas
providing ultra-high-speed, low-cost access. However, Wi-Fi is not a WAN, so
to meet customers needs for complete mobility solutions Wi-Fi and 2.5G must
come together into a single integrated offering."

    Continued Dayton, "T-Mobile is the unquestioned leader in physical hot
spot deployment, early recognizing the potential in Wi-Fi and bolting out of
the pack well ahead of their traditional wireless competitors. From actual
experience, T-Mobile knows more than any other carrier about the
opportunities and challenges in Wi-Fi. That's why we're so excited that
T-Mobile has selected Boingo Platform Services to take their offering to the
next level."

    The client-server solution is being custom developed for T-Mobile and
uses industry networking standards and the private-label Boingo(TM) Platform
Services to enhance the user experience. Once installed onto a customer's
laptop computer or PDA, the software will enable them to more easily locate,
sign-up, and log-on to the T-Mobile HotSpot(SM) service. The software will
include intuitive help files designed to address customers' most frequently
asked questions; a built-in searchable location directory to help users find
their nearest T-Mobile HotSpot; and a streamlined setup process to help
customers easily connect as well as move between using their home or office
wireless network and the T-Mobile HotSpot service - making it more
accessible and approachable for everyday consumers.

    While the new software will provide many usability enhancements,
T-Mobile HotSpot customers will continue to have the option to access the
service with only an Internet browser.

    The software is also being custom developed to integrate special
site-specific content and promotions from T-Mobile's growing list of
brand-name location partners, such as Starbucks coffeehouses, Borders Books
and Music, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines' clubs
and lounges. In this manner, T-Mobile rewards its location partners by
enabling venue-specific features and by providing additional opportunities
for its site partners to market and cross-promote complementary products and
services.

    T-Mobile was the first U.S. wireless carrier to fully embrace Wi-Fi
service as a complement to its existing wide area wireless services. With
Wi-Fi service and a nationwide GSM/GPRS 2.5G voice and high-speed data
network, T-Mobile provides comprehensive wireless connectivity that meets
the total remote access needs of mobile professionals and consumers. Future
versions of the T-Mobile software co-developed with Boingo will enable users
to easily and conveniently manage their connections between the two
networks. Customers will be able to designate their network preference or
choose to get connected at the best available network speed, and the
software will automatically connect them to the network of their choice.

    The joint announcement demonstrates T-Mobile's commitment to further
deliver on its GET MORE(R) promise to provide customers with the best value
in their wireless services. The T-Mobile HotSpot service is available today
in more than 2,200 locations nationwide and represents the largest carrier
owned Wi-Fi (802.11b) network in the world.

    T-Mobile becomes the first major wireless carrier to announce it has
selected Boingo's Platform Services, which was officially launched on March
10, 2003, to provide major carriers and ISPs with the ability to get an
enhanced Wi-Fi hot spot service to market quickly through private-label
software and network aggregation services from Boingo.

    About T-Mobile USA, Inc.

    Based in Bellevue, Wash., T-Mobile USA operates the largest GSM/GPRS
voice and high-speed wireless data network in the United States, covering
218 million people. In addition, T-Mobile operates the largest commercial
'Wi-Fi' (802.11b) wireless broadband (WLAN) network available in more than
2,200 public access locations including Starbucks coffeehouses, Borders
Books and Music, airports, and American Airlines Admirals Clubs. T-Mobile is
a member of T-Mobile International group, the mobile telecommunications
subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom (NYSE:DT). Through its GET MORE(R) promise,
T-Mobile is committed to providing the best overall value in wireless
communications with more minutes, features and service than any other
carrier. For more information, go to www.t-mobile.com.

    About Boingo

    Boingo Wireless, Inc. is an ultra-high-speed wireless Internet service
available in over 1,200 locations such as hotels, airports, cafes, and other
public places. Both directly and through major carrier and ISP partners,
Boingo provides business travelers with a wireless broadband Internet
connection to improve productivity while on the road. Through its free Wi-Fi
software, Boingo makes finding and connecting to Wi-Fi networks
point-and-click simple and secure. EarthLink founder and chairman Sky Dayton
founded Boingo in 2001 and serves as its CEO. More information about Boingo
is available at http://www.boingo.com.

-- 
Robert J. Berger - Internet Bandwidth Development, LLC.
In Tokyo as Glocom visiting research fellow through April 2003
Cell: +81 80-3121-6128 Work: +81 3-5411-6613 http://www.glocom.ac.jp
eFax: +1-408-490-2868 rberger () glocom ac jp rberger () ibd com



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