Savvy Wi-Fi citizens should not only be on the lookout for fast and nearby hotspots, but also be sure to lock down a secure Internet connection. Accessing open Wi-Fi signals can expose you to hackers, malware, and viruses, which can put private information at risk. At Boingo, we don’t want you to worry about practicing Internet safety, so we’ve developed a handy solution for you – Boingo Security VPN! Continue reading
For the second time in three years, Global Traveler readers have named Boingo “Best Wi-Fi Service.” Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. More than 36,000 savvy travelers contributed to Global Traveler magazine’s 2011 GT Tested reader survey. Readers chose the best of the best for sixty-six travel-related categories, including: airlines, hotels, loyalty programs and travel products. Click here to view a list of fellow winners. Awards are awesome to receive. But we think the most meaningful awards are those granted by the user community, so this means a lot to us. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. As you can see from the photos above featuring a few superstar members of our marketing team, we had a delightful time at the Global Traveler awards ceremony. Read the press release here.
“Does Boingo Wi-Fi affect my 3G/4G cellular connectivity while I’m at a Boingo hotspot?” “I’m at an airport where Boingo manages the Wi-Fi network, and I think they’re blocking my cellular access to force me into buying Wi-Fi.” We’ve fielded questions and comments like the above through our social media channels, so we’d like to share our response here on the Boingo blog for everybody to see. The answer is no, Wi-Fi has no effect on cellular service. It’s technically impossible for Wi-Fi to interfere with cellular connectivity because each technology runs on different frequencies. Cellular service is delivered over licensed spectrum, meaning that your service provider owns its specific frequency range, to ensure they can provide service without interference. Also, it’s actually illegal for anyone to interfere with cellular transmission. It is possible for things such as Bluetooth and microwaves to interfere with Wi-Fi, because they all use the same unlicensed spectrum frequencies. But none of those technologies can interfere with your cellphone Internet service. We do want you to buy Wi-Fi – because it’s a great experience, not because we’ve tinkered with the cellular access. Further reading: “Can WiFi Interfere With Dropped Cell Phone Calls?” via eHow.com “Difference Between
It’s no secret kids like tech toys as much as we adults do. But gadgets tend to be expensive, and they’re more fragile in the hands of kids. So we browsed around the interweb and found ten cool kid tech toys that won’t break your bank nor fall apart too easily during play. Please note we haven’t tried and tested all the products below. If you have, please share feedback on your experience. Know of other kid tech toys under $50? Please let us know in the comments section! 1. Scrabble Flash Cubes ($9.95): Scrabble is a board game classic but this digitized version is a great portable option. The set comes with five cubes that keep track of words and points electronically. For ages eight and up. 2. The Digi-Piggy digital coin counting bank ($14.95): This is a great little contraption for introducing kids to the habit of saving money. A little electronic screen on the pig’s snout displays the total amount of money in the bank. Every time coins are added, the screen updates. Comes in pink and white, requires AA batteries. Buy directly from the Digi-Piggy site or through Amazon. For ages three and up. 3. Crayola Color Wonder Sound Studio
Boingo’s leadership in the growing universe of Boingo hotspots is featured in an IDG article by Mikael Ricknäs; the article has been syndicated across the IDG network on various trade publications including PC World, CIO and Network World. Cool! Kudos to Christian Gunning, our director of corporate communications for his contribution to the article. Here are the highlights: The number of worldwide public Wi-Fi hotspots is expected to quadruple, and total 5.8 million by 2012, as operators look for ways to reduce traffic on their mobile networks, according to a recent study by Informa Telecoms and Media. “One of our strategic initiatives right now is to expand coverage into categories that haven’t been built out, but will be,” said [Christian] Gunning. Few big national restaurant chains in the U.S. have hotspots in their restaurants…restaurants will see a big build out in the next three or four years, he said. Wi-Fi hotspots in sports arenas, concert halls and shopping malls will also become more prevalent. Wi-Fi hotspots are also about to become more integrated with mobile networks thanks to a specification called Hotspot 2.0, which is being developed by the Wi-Fi Alliance. It allows users to automatically move between the two network
Carrie Finley-Bajak’s goal is to visit every continent before she turns fifty years-old. Since she has always had an affinity for the ocean, cruise ships are her chosen mode of transportation. According to Carrie, cruises “offer a combination of adventure and a touch of elegance.” She shares her nautical experiences on her travel blog, Cruise Buzz. We caught up with Carrie, a Boingo member, at BlogWorld LA 2011 and learned plenty of valuable tips for traveling by sea. Check out Carrie’s top three tips below for booking the perfect cruise vacation. Also be sure to follow her on Twitter (@CruiseBuzz) to get regular updates on her reviews and adventures. 1. Cruise Myth Busters Some misconceptions about cruising are: the world is flat, the ship is to crowded, a person will get sea sick, the cabins are small, there is nothing to do, all you do is eat. All false. 2. Get It Right The First Time The number one prerequisite for a potential cruise passenger is a love for the sea. If the idea of sailing on the wide-open ocean on a ship sounds like fun, then I would suggest taking a cruise. However, I will caution that the biggest disservice
This week, we’re reuniting with Boingo friends and meeting new ones at BlogWorld Los Angeles. If you’re here and we haven’t had the pleasure of your company, give us a holler on Twitter (@boingo) or look for Baochi and Lauren (pictured above with travel blogger Gary Arndt) of our social media team. They’re giving away gifts of free Boingo Wi-Fi — while they last! So hunt ‘em down and introduce yourself! Check out our video:
Today, we announced a new roaming partnership with Wire and Wireless (Wi2) that adds 3000 hotspots to the Boingo network in Japan. This brings the number of Boingo locations to almost 9000 in Japan and over 150,000 in the Asia Pacific region. Kanpai! Meeting the Wi-Fi needs of the international community has been (and continues to be) one of Boingo’s key areas of focus. For Asia Pacific, specifically, our 2011 efforts thus far include: The just-announced 3000 hotspots with Wi2 40,000 new hotspots in Korea via an agreement with LG Uplus The international release of iOS Boingo Wi-Finder Credits app An unlimited Asia-Pacific Wi-Fi plan that covers over twenty-five countries at one low rate The addition of New Bangkok Airport to Boingo’s managed and operated network We want to be the go-to Wi-Fi provider for those living and traveling through the Asia Pacific region, so we look for your continued suggestions on how we’re doing, and how we can serve you even better.
We’re happy to announce that you can now use PayPal when buying Boingo Wi-Fi access. And we have to give credit where credit is due: Boingo customers suggested we add PayPal as a purchase option, and we thought that was a brilliant idea. Thanks to the community for the guidance! Hopefully, PayPal will ease the payment process for our international customers, who voiced the strongest desire for this option. Also, we think the addition of PayPal will help those of you purchasing Wi-Fi on your mobile devices, which can be more challenging to navigate because of smaller screen sizes. Now, you can simply select the PayPal option, log in to your PayPal account, and you’re done! No additional account information required. Read the Boingo press release on PayPal. Please let us know if you have any questions. As always, we get some of our best ideas from our customers, so send us your suggestions!
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