The new Hotspot 2.0 standard, also known as Passpoint, is gaining momentum, according to Dr. Derek Peterson, Boingo Wireless’ senior vice president of engineering.
Peterson participated in a Wi-Fi and near-field communications (NFC) panel at the Consumer Electronics Show this week, along with representatives from Broadcom, Ericsson and the Wi-Fi Alliance.
Peterson told RCR Wireless that Boingo is working on roaming agreements for Passpoint technology, has a few signed and expects to see more in 2014. Passpoint allows users to access Wi-Fi networks with automatic authentication, taking out one of the biggest hurdles to seamless Wi-Fi use.
With Passpoint technology increasingly available on equipment and devices, Peterson said, “it’s now just a matter of getting everybody moving to use it.”
Boingo set up a Passpoint testbed network at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, and Peterson said the company is seeing more carrier and manufacturer interest in testing out the technology.
“I think the key thing is, we want to keep users on a network — and I think carriers want the same thing,” said Peterson.
Boingo also believes that new business models will increase monetization of Wi-Fi networks. Doug Lodder, vice president of business development for Boingo, noted that the company has already established models such as sponsored access (including a recent program where NYC subway riders received free Wi-Fi access during December courtsey of the Visit Phoenix tourism campaign) and tiered access, but that interesting additions include requiring users to download a sponsor’s app in order to connect wirelessly, or add surveys in order for revenues or advertisers to learn more about consumers.
