A massive surge in the use of Wi-Fi during the first quarter of this year, which included several key factors like an increase in the number of consumers and broadband users the have devices enabled with W-Fi and a growth in the number of supported hot spots, according to reports from AT&T Inc.
AT&T reported the number of Wi-Fi connections in the first three months of 2009 as 10.5 million, which was over 3 times that of 2008 and compared to the whole of 2008 it was over half of the 20 million total Wi-Fi connections. Every time a user activates any device that accesses the Internet over Wi-Fi it is considered as a connection.
Almost 20 000 hot spots in the US were supported by AT&T last year, with Starbucks sites that were formerly serviced by T-Mobile USA Inc included in this list. A spokeswoman for AT&T said that through roaming agreements it also provided support for around 80 000 hot spots around the world. Hot spots were also added from health care facilities, retail and hospitality thanks to Wayport Inc, which were acquired in December by AT&T and began operating as AT&T Wi-Fi services during the first quarter.
Broadband connections using both wireless and wired LaptopConnect cards increased in the first quarter by 471 000 to 16.7 million users for AT&T, in addition to its increase in more hot spots. Certain qualifying plans allow AT&T customers to access Wi-Fi for free.
Wi-Fi ready devices like Wi-Fi embedded mini-laptops such as the Dell Inspiron Mini 9 and Mini 12, the LG Xenia and the Acer Aspire One, and the Sony Cybershot digital camera with a free Web browser and access to AT&T Wi-Fi for free were cited as the reason for the growth by AT&T.
Smartphone’s including the Blackberry Bold and the iPhone 3G were accountable for around 4 million of the connections in the first quarter of 2009.