14 DAY TRIAL // Wireless carrier AT&T announced on Monday that it had seen an impressive growth in the number of Wi-Fi connections its users have made during the last year. According to the mobile phone operator, there have been 85.5 million connections to the Internet via its Wi-Fi network in 2009, four times more connections than during 2008. The company also notes that users connected to the Internet via Wi-Fi to check on their e-mail, search the Web and download music and videos.
During the fourth quarter of the last year alone, users made 35.3 million Wi-Fi connections, marking an increase of 10 million connections when compared to the previous quarter. Moreover, the carrier also noted that the number of connections made during the fourth quarter surpassed the number registered during the first half of 2009. This growth has been also forecast by research firms like In-Stat, which said recently that Wi-Fi will see impressive increase in usage as businesses rediscover its benefits.
“Hotspot usage is skyrocketing, and our research shows that will only continue as the number of Wi-Fi capable devices and hotspot venues increase,” said Frank Dickson, vice president of Research, Mobile Internet, for In-Stat. “Wi-Fi access has become easier than ever before with carriers like AT&T including it in wireless and broadband plans, with more businesses making Wi-Fi available as an amenity to their employees and customers, and with smartphones and other portable devices making it fast and simple to connect.”
According to AT&T, it offers the “nation’s most advanced mobile broadband experience,” and it expects for the Wi-Fi usage to continue to grow as customers start to use the technology on their smartphones and other devices. “More and more customers are choosing Wi-Fi for its simple, reliable and fast connection and for its convenience,” the carrier also mentions, adding that smartphones accounted for 72 percent of all connections made during Q4, and for 61 percent of all connections in 2009.
A recent survey from the carrier shows that 43 percent of AT&T Wi-Fi users accessed AT&T's network more than four times in the past 30 days, the carrier states. “Last year was a landmark year for AT&T Wi-Fi, and it shows in the tremendous response and usage we’ve seen from our customers and the leading venues we work with,” said Angie Wiskocil, senior vice president, AT&T Wi-Fi Services. “The record growth has been driven by our commitment to provide reliable connectivity solutions, the choice and simplicity of convenient locations, an unmatched portfolio of Wi-Fi enabled devices and plans, and strong venue support. We look forward to accelerating that growth even further in 2010 and beyond.”