BT adds more Wi-Fi roaming
around the globe
BT Openzone boosts international hotspots by 11,000
BT Openzone customers now have an extra 11,000 wireless broadband (Wi-Fi) locations to choose from with the addition of Beeline WiFi, ChungHwa, eService Bar, Monzoon, Wireless G and WAYPORT EMEA to its international Wi-Fi estate.
Access to these six new networks is enabled through Comfone WeRoam, an advanced wireless IP roaming hub and brings BT Openzone's international footprint to more than 65,000 worldwide sites.
With its WeRoam solution, roaming hub partner Comfone provides access to a number of international operators including almost 9,300 Beeline WiFi hotspots across Moscow city centre, plus four airports, hotels and restaurants in Russia. ChungHwa in Taiwan now provides access at around 1,000 hotspots including around 700 restaurants and cafes.
European operator Monzoon adds 600 hotspots spanning Liechtenstein, and Switzerland. This number includes over 200 hotspots in schools and universities. In addition, WAYPORT provides Wi-Fi connectivity at leading hotels and airports in over 36 countries from Greenland, through Europe and Russia, down the Middle East to the tip of South Africa, including the Dorchester Collection, Radisson Blu, Park Inn, Marriott and Hilton hotels.
BT Openzone is also adding a new partner WirelessG, with 650 hotspots and integrated hotspots across South Africa in restaurants, coffee shops, hotels, B&Bs, stadiums and airports in time for visitors to the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Chris Bruce, general manager, BT Openzone, said: "We're bringing wireless internet access to even more people travelling the globe in high demand locations including airports, hotels and cafes. This is great news for business and leisure travellers looking to stay in touch overseas."
BT Openzone has more than 3,500 UK & Ireland Wi-Fi hotspots including BA, Flybe and Skylounge airport lounges, Caffe Nero and Starbucks coffee stores, Hilton, Thistle and Ramada Jarvis hotels and marinas. In July, BT Retail announced that it has grown its total residential and commercial UK & Ireland Wi-Fi hotspot estate to 600,000 hotspots and will hit the one million mark in early 2010.
Despite the lowering of EU mobile roaming rates, Wi-Fi from BT Openzone is still cheaper. Using the BT international Wi-Fi voucher, users can surf for as little as 12p per megabyte. BT Openzone Global subscribers have 500 inclusive international roaming minutes included in their monthly agreement. Extra use of our partners' overseas hotspots costs an easy flat rate of just 10p a minute.