Boingo becomes exclusive wi-fi and distributed antenna system provider for South America’s largest airport
SÃO PAULO, 27 Jan. 2014. Officials at GRU Airport – São Paulo’s International Airport, the largest airport in South America serving more than 35 million passengers annually, selected Boingo Wireless (NASDAQ:WIFI) as the airport’s exclusive wi-fi and distributed antenna system (DAS) provider.
“GRU Airport is an ideal location for our first DAS deployment in South America,” says Zack Sterngold, Boingo Wireless vice president, Americas. “The airport is an increasingly important international business hub and will experience exponential passenger growth in the next three years with the upcoming landmark global sports events. The Wi-Fi network is optimized for future carrier offload, to ensure a seamless connectivity experience and ample capacity for all users.”
Boingo engineers will design, install, and manage advanced wi-fi and distributed antenna system networks at the airport, providing comprehensive coverage and increased data capacity throughout the facilities, including the airport’s newest terminal. Boingo’s neutral host approach to Wi-Fi and DAS ensures network access to all carriers and their customers without bias.
Boingo offers Wi-Fi services throughout the airport, providing complimentary Wi-Fi access to all travelers, and offering premium connectivity options to travelers who want to engage in high-bandwidth activities like streaming video, uploading large files, and using VoIP services. Boingo also manages Wi-Fi sponsorship and advertising services for the airport, and will be assuming management of private services delivered via the Wi-Fi network timed to the launch of the new, enhanced networks.
“Boingo’s industry-leading Wi-Fi and Distributed Antenna services and new, state-of-the-art networks will help us meet the data demands of our travelers, and will ensure an excellent experience even during peak usage times--like travel timed to the global sports events Brazil is hosting in the coming years,” says Luis Ritzmann, CIO of GRU Airport. “The Boingo neutral host DAS and Wi-Fi sponsorship models will enable us to provide world-class connectivity while continually investing in the network.”
The GRU airport Wi-Fi network will be accessible to Boingo’s wholesale and platform service partners, including AT&T, Verizon, Korea Telecom, LGU+, NTT DOCOMO, Skype, Orange France, Telefonica, and TeliaSonera, which wholesale Wi-Fi access from Boingo and provide self-branded Wi-Fi to their customers as part of their existing services. The network will also be accessible to Boingo Unlimited, Boingo Mobile and Boingo Global subscribers. Hourly and daily premium Wi-Fi access passes will also be available.
In addition to providing wireless services at GRU, Boingo offers users an aggregated network of thousands of hotspots throughout Brazil through roaming partnerships with wireless service providers including Oi.
Boingo is a provider of airport wireless services, providing Wi-Fi in more than 75 airports around the globe, including Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International, London Gatwick, and Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci Fiumicino, as well as Chicago’s O’Hare and Midway, and New York’s John F. Kennedy, LaGuardia, and Newark airports.
Courtney E. Howard | Chief Editor, Intelligent Aerospace
Courtney enjoys writing about all things high-tech in PennWell’s burgeoning Aerospace and Defense Group, which encompasses Intelligent Aerospace and Military & Aerospace Electronics. She’s also a self-proclaimed social-media maven, mil-aero nerd, and avid avionics and space geek. Connect with Courtney at [email protected], @coho on Twitter, on LinkedIn, and on Google+.