AT&T notes huge surge in WiFi usage

AT&T Inc. reported a huge surge in WiFi usage in the first quarter based on several factors, including growth in the number of hot spots it supports and an increase in the number of its broadband users and consumers equipped with WiFi enabled devices.

For the first three months of 2009, AT&T reported 10.5 million Wi-Fi connections, more than triple the amount for the first quarter of 2008, and more than half of all the 20 million total WiFi connections in all of 2008. A connection is each time a user activates a device to reach the Internet via WiFi.

Last year, AT&T began supporting nearly 20,000 hot spots in the U.S., including many Starbucks locations that formerly used service from T-Mobile USA Inc. It also supports about 80,000 global hot spots through roaming agreements, a spokeswoman said. Wayport Inc., which AT&T acquired in December, began operating as AT&T WiFi services in the first quarter, adding hot spots from retail, hospitality and health care facilities.

In addition to more hot spots, AT&T broadband connections through wired and wireless LaptopConnect cards grew by 471,000 in the first quarter to 16.7 million users. WiFi access with AT&T is free with certain qualifying plans.

AT&T also cited growth in WiFi-ready devices, such as the Sony Cybershot digital camera with a Web browser and free access to AT&T WiFi, and WiFi embedded mini-laptops such as the Acer Aspire One, the Dell Inspiron Mini 9 and Mini 12, and the LG Xenia.

About 4 million connections in the first quarter came from smartphones, including the iPhone 3G and the BlackBerry Bold.

Computerworld

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