iPass Offers IT-Sponsored Global Wi-Fi Access to Resolve Rising BYOD Network Costs
Corporate BYOD programs risk significant increase in smartphone and tablet data roaming costs without corresponding access to global Wi-Fi networks
REDWOOD SHORES, Calif., September 18, 2012: iPass Inc. (NASDAQ: IPAS), the global Wi-Fi and enterprise mobility services leader, today announced that iPass Open Mobile Express now offers an IT-sponsored global Wi-Fi service with direct end-user billing. As an IT sponsored service, iPass Open Mobile Express pioneers a simple way for enterprise IT to offer their departments and employees a direct credit card billing option for seamless global Wi-Fi access on smartphones and tablets, while IT can maintain control and support of a hybrid environment of both corporate-owned and employee-owned smartphones and tablets.
The iPass Open Mobile Express service enables enterprise IT to control spiraling cellular data plan costs increasingly associated with corporate Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) programs by allowing IT to negotiate the best Wi-Fi connection rates and enabling other departments to take fiscal responsibility for their Wi-Fi network needs.
“Employees who pay their own mobile device bills are wary of high data roaming charges, and many leading enterprises are also starting to recognize the complexity and rising costs of global connectivity associated with BYOD programs,” said Christophe Culine, senior vice-president and general manager, iPass Enterprise. “With so many corporate applications now in the cloud, seamless connectivity is essential for employee productivity. iPass Open Mobile Express allows IT to provide other departments the best negotiated connection rates for fast, affordable, global Wi-Fi access – giving mobile workers the power to be connected virtually anywhere they do business. Importantly, it also offers enterprises the right tools to drive costs out of business travel.”
Challenged by data roaming costs, mobile workers favor more reasonable prices according to the latest Mobile Workforce Report. With Wi-Fi hotspots predicted to rise 350 percent by 2015, progressive IT departments now have a path to support BYOD programs but also a “Bring Your Own Network” (BYON) service with instant employee access to over one million Wi-Fi hotspots worldwide.
BYOD programs are pushing the biggest change in business practices and employee productivity today and with IT departments facing minimal resources to deploy, configure and manage global Wi-Fi connectivity, iPass Open Mobile Express allows IT to push costs out to various departments, while still maintaining control and ensuring excellent connectivity on both corporate-owned and employee-owned devices.
iPass Open Mobile Express is available for iPhone, iPad, Android and Windows-based smartphones, tablets and laptops. The service allows mobile workers to be globally mobile with access to the world’s largest commercial Wi-Fi network, with over one million Wi-Fi hotspots including in-flight Internet and far more hotels, airports, and business venues than any other network. For more information please visit: www.ipass.com/solutions/.
About iPass Inc.
iPass helps enterprises and telecom service providers ensure their employees and subscribers stay well connected. Founded in 1996, iPass (NASDAQ: IPAS) delivers the world’s largest commercial-grade Wi-Fi network and trusted connectivity platform. With more than one million Wi-Fi hotspots across 111 countries and territories, iPass gives its customers always-on, frictionless connectivity anywhere in the world simply, securely and cost-effectively. Additional information is available at www.iPass.com or on Smarter Connections, the iPass blog.