BT Openzone and iPass Announce UK Wi-Fi network Roaming Agreement
London, UK -/13 Dec, 2004 - Wi-Fi Technology News/- BT Openzone and iPass Inc. (NASDAQ: IPAS) have announced an agreement to allow iPass enterprise customers to use BT's UK Wi-Fi network. The deal will enable the 500,000 plus active monthly iPass users to access more than 1,500 BT Openzone hotspots nationwide?as part of the iPass Global Broadband Roaming network
The agreement will give iPass users access to the BT Openzone Wi-Fi Internet service as part of the iPass Global Broadband Roaming network.
BT's Openzone hotspots include key business venues such as international British Airways airport lounges, BAA airports, Hilton, Ramada Jarvis and Corus hotels and major UK railway stations. iPass customers will also be able to access BT Openzone hotspots set up at major conferences and events that have included World Travel Market, London Fashion Week and the British Formula One Grand Prix.
This agreement with BT will add a significant UK-based Wi-Fi footprint to scores of existing Wi-Fi agreements that iPass has in place?with an ever expanding network of 14,200 broadband access points worldwide.
Chris Clark, CEO of BT Wireless Broadband, said: "Business travellers are increasingly becoming the heaviest users of Wi-Fi services as they experience the benefits of being able to securely log on and access corporate networks at broadband speeds whilst away from the office. So we have grown our BT Openzone network through key roaming agreements to include more than 20,000 hotspots globally and introduced a range of flexible tariff options to meet their needs and way of working. iPass has a strong base of predominantly business customers that both work in and travel to the UK and the BT Openzone service will further their ability to keep in touch with the office in a quick and secure way."
The BT Openzone network will now enter the iPass Enterprise Ready certification program, where it will be certified by iPass following a rigorous testing process. This ensures service availability, as well as interoperability with policy and security tools, such as virtual private networks, personal firewalls and virus protection. iPass users of the BT Openzone network will receive a single consolidated bill based on usage per minute, regardless of access method or location.
"The United Kingdom is one of the world's leading business markets with customers increasingly realising the benefits of Wi-Fi," said Anurag Lal, vice president of business development at iPass. "The addition of BT Openzone, one of the top Wi-Fi providers in Europe, into the iPass virtual network will be key to our Global 2000 enterprise customers who seek broadband connectivity while travelling throughout Europe."
BT Openzone users can visit http://www.btopenzone.com/locations for a full list of BT Openzone Wi-Fi hotspot locations or SMS 81041 with their nearest town or postcode to find the nearest hotspot.
About BT
BT is one of the world's leading providers of communications solutions serving customers in Europe, the Americas and Asia Pacific. Its principal activities include IT and networking services, local, national and international telecommunications services, and higher-value broadband and internet products and services.
BT consists principally of three lines of business:
BT Retail, providing fixed and mobile communications services and solutions and IT and networking services to more than 20 million business and residential customers in the UK. It is also a leading UK internet services provider.
BT Wholesale, providing network services and solutions within the UK to more than 600 fixed and mobile operators and service providers including the provision of broadband, private circuits.
BT Global Services, providing IT and networking services internationally to meet the needs of multi-site organisations with European operations. BT Global Services operates in more than 130 countries and also offers international carrier services.
In the year ended 31 March 2004, BT Group's turnover was ?18,519 million with profit before goodwill amortisation, exceptional items and taxation of ?2,013 million.
BT Group plc is listed on stock exchanges in London and New York. British Telecommunications plc (BT) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BT Group and encompasses virtually all businesses and assets of the BT Group.
For more information, visit http://www.bt.com/about.
About iPass
iPass Inc. (NASDAQ: IPAS) delivers simple, secure and manageable enterprise mobility services, maximizing the productivity of workers as they move between office, home and remote locations. iPass security services ? based on unique Policy Orchestration capabilities ? work to close the gaps in protecting computers, network assets, user identities and data whenever users connect over the Internet. iPass connectivity services utilize the iPass global virtual network, a unified network of hundreds of dial-up wireless, and broadband providers in over 150 countries. iPass services are the choice of hundreds of Global 2000 corporations including General Motors, HSBC and Sony. Founded in 1996, iPass is headquartered in Redwood Shores, Calif., with offices throughout North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. Web site: http://www.ipass.com
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