Mobile working Toolkit

IPass gets onboard with train Wi-Fi

Graeme Wearden ZDNet.co.uk

Published: 22 Sep 2004 15:15 BST

IPass teamed up with Wi-Fi operator Broadreach on Wednesday, adding another section of the UK's public Internet access market to its 'global broadband roaming' network.

The deal means that a mobile worker with a subscription to iPass will be able to access Broadreach Wi-Fi hot spots and Internet terminals at 500 sites around Britain.

Crucially, this gives IPass a stake in Britain's train Wi-Fi market. Broadreach has signed deals with five train operators, including Virgin. It recently predicted that at least two of these operators would launch trains with onboard Wi-Fi networks before the end of this year.

"Broadreach has some extremely exciting plans in terms of taking Wi-Fi onto trains in the UK, helping the operators attract a significant number of business users," said Doug Loewe, iPass' European managing director, in a statement.

GNER, which is pioneering train Wi-Fi through its alliance with Icomera, revealed earlier this week that its wireless networks were proving very popular with users.

Back in July, iPass announced that its global broadband roaming network included over 10,000 Wi-Fi hot spots.