Through the new Wi-Fi exchange services, iPass OMX will serve as a central hub through which China Mobile’s international roaming partners are provided with access to the China Mobile Wi-Fi network. It will also support China Mobile’s international data roaming needs by providing access for China Mobile users travelling abroad.
“Smartphones and tablets are putting onerous demands on cellular networks,” said Wang Jianzhou CEO of China Mobile. “Building out our Wi-Fi network is the fastest way for us to meet the increasing Web demand by our smartphone and tablet users and by partnering with iPass we can rapidly make our Wi-Fi network seamlessly available to our international partners and their users roaming in China.”
“China Mobile has one of the fastest growing Wi-Fi networks in the world, and access to this network is essential for anyone traveling in China,” said Evan Kaplan, president and CEO of iPass. “China Mobile selected iPass Open Mobile Exchange so it can deliver Wi-Fi exchange services that enable its partner carriers worldwide to quickly connect users to Wi-Fi networks throughout China with one billing relationship. Today’s announcement is a validation of our global Wi-Fi vision.”
iPass OMX combines ‘zero-click’ mobile data offload services with domestic and international data roaming between 3G, 4G and Wi-Fi networks. The Wi-Fi exchange also simplifies and expedites the process of bilateral network connectivity between service providers, increasing their speed to market and optimizing network costs and operations so that they can also monetize their Wi-Fi networks with revenues from devices that were traditionally out of reach.
iPass OMX also enables service providers to increase Wi-Fi coverage to their subscribers with integrated access to the iPass Mobile Network with more than 600,000 Wi-Fi venues in 109 countries and allow Wi-Fi operators to monetize their networks from other mobile service provider subscribers without the need to manage multiple bilateral connections.