So, when a subscriber works with his or her laptop or PDA in a Wayport hotel or a Surf-And-Sip café (two Boingo hotspot operator partners), the private-label Boingo Software pops up and shows the service providers’ brand. When the subscriber selects the signal, the software prompts them for a username and password, which is passed through Boingo’s back-end systems to the carrier or ISP’s authentication systems, and then he or she is connected to the network. At no time is the subscriber aware of who the underlying hotspot operator is or what other carriers might also have roaming relationships in that location. No other solution provides this seamless, uniformly-branded and simple experience for subscribers.
Here is an example of the software customized for EarthLink. Note that “EarthLink Wireless” is the brand presented in the sniffer in all Boingo aggregated commercial hotspots. No other brands vie for the subscriber’s attention. The subscriber clicks the “Connect” button and is logged in.