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Quiconnect
enables PT WLAN customers and Sprint WLAN customers to use each other’s
hotspots
Other Topics:
WiMAX Research Study,
WiMAX Certification
Quiconnect
December 7, 2005
- Quiconnect to provide Sprint’s
corporate customers with branded
WLAN access at over 800 PT WLAN sites including hotels, post offices,
airports, restaurants and shopping centres.
- Quiconnect to provide Portugal
Telecom’s corporate customers
with Sprint WLAN access at high value airport locations throughout the
United States.
- Access to these sites will be
available in Q1 2006.
Quiconnect, an
international virtual network enabler, announced today it is extending
Sprint's network reach for international business travellers. The
company has signed a contract with PT Wi-Fi to offer Sprint exclusive
access to over 800 WLAN hotspots in Portugal. In September 2005,
Quiconnect also announced a deal with Hub Télécom (formerly ADP Télécom)
to offer global service providers access to Hub Télécom’s WLAN hotspots.
Sprint is the first service provider customer of Quiconnect to leverage
the Hub Télécom partnership. |
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Sprint has been working with Quiconnect since April 2005 to extend its
Wi-Fi presence internationally and offer corporate customers Wireless
LAN (WLAN) access at locations around the world.
Serving 96% of the Fortune 500 companies, Sprint has been developing its
WLANpresence extensively in the USA over the past several years
providing connectivity for its customers at flagship venues - high
value, high traffic locations such as hotels, convention centres and
airports across the country - where customers desire it most and can
derive the greatest benefit.
Quiconnect assists telecom operators to better serve their customers by
offering branded wireless voice and data services to create virtual
networks, along with all associated technical and financial
interconnectivity.
Mark Brigman, Sprint’s WLAN business development manager, explains, “The
majority of our business users are travelling with Wi-Fi technology and
to simplify log-in, we launched our Extended Workplace™ software for
clients’ laptops. This identifies and displays a menu of connectivity
choices and gives users the option to point, click and get connected
regardless of the access type. Extended Workplace ensures that customers
benefit from a secure, simple and consistent Sprint-branded user
experience wherever they are around the world.”
Quiconnect works closely with associated network operators to create a
virtual network for Sprint customers globally, managing all user
authentication and billing, and enabling a consistent Sprint-branded
customer experience irrespective of the actual local service provider or
network operator used. Customers will receive only one bill from Sprint,
no matter how many network operators are used or countries visited.
Troy Simoni, Quiconnect’s chief executive officer, says, “Our focus is
all about providing service providers quality footprint to extend their
networks virtually. Their corporate customers want easy WiFi access as
they travel internationally and the deal negotiated with PT Wi-Fi
reflects this. Both the commercial aspects and technical
interoperability between their systems and ours were done swiftly – a
clear sign that PT Wi-Fi sees the huge potential of our business model.”
Goncalo Pinheiro, PT Wi-Fi’s Marketing Director, explains, “We are a
specialist in telecommunications networks and services at high volume
WLAN hotspots across Portugal. Clearly Quiconnect is innovating in the
whole area of service provider interconnectivity and this agreement with
enable us to extend use of our hotspots to Sprint’s corporate
customers.”
Sprint is the first service provider customer of Quiconnect to leverage
the PT Wi-Fi partnership. Brigman says, “We are aggressively adding
international footprint to support Extended Workplace™ and the
Quiconnect deal with PT Wi-Fi totally reinforces why we chose them –
they have the connections and skills to sign up ‘local’ network
operators quickly on our behalf thereby adding huge value to, not only
our business, but the customers we serve.”
About Sprint Nextel
Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline
communications services to consumer, business and government customers.
Sprint Nextel is widely recognized for developing, engineering and
deploying innovative technologies, including two robust wireless
networks offering industry leading mobile data services; instant
national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and an
award-winning and global Tier 1 Internet backbone. For more information,
visit www.sprint.com
About Quiconnect
Quiconnect enables virtual networks for voice over Internet (VoIP) and
data, providing technical and financial interconnectivity and
clearinghouse services worldwide. It offers access to wireless local
network (WLAN) operators’ footprints through a single, cost efficient
and easy-to-manage service. Headquartered in London UK, Quiconnect was
founded in 2001 and operates offices in Grenoble, France and San Diego
USA. For more information, visit www.quiconnect.com
About Portugal Telecom
Portugal Telecom’s activities cover all segments of the
telecommunications sector: fixed, mobile, multimedia, data and corporate
solutions. These telecommunications and multimedia services are
available in Portugal, Brazil and in growing international markets. The
international presence of Portugal Telecom spreads to countries like
Morocco, Guinea Bissau, Cape Verde, Mozambique, Timor, Angola, Kenya,
China and São Tome and Principe. For more information, visit
www.telecom.pt
About PT Wi-Fi
PT Wi-Fi, part of Portugal Telecom Group, deploys and manages WLAN
services in high profile public places. As Portugal’s market leader, PT
Wi-Fi has more than 800 live hotspots across Portugal, and more than
14.000 accessible hotspots available worldwide through roaming partners.
For more information, visit www.ptwifi.pt |
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