iPass and Attingo partner to provide secure, easy-to-use, high-speed Internet access
AMSTERDAM, Netherlands — February 3, 2005 —; iPass Inc. (Nasdaq: IPAS) today announced it has formed a partnership with Attingo B.V. to bring the Amsterdam Airport Schiphol into the iPass Global Broadband Roaming network. Under the agreement, Attingo, which is responsible for all of the wireless and wired Internet provision to the public at the airport, has successfully put its infrastructure through the iPass Enterprise Ready program.
"Fast, secure and reliable Internet access is no longer considered an added bonus for airport travelers, it has become expected," commented Edward van de Zande, general manager of Attingo. "In addition to this, we're seeing an ever increasing appreciation for the live support we provide for the various demands from visitors. Traditional fixed access levels have continued to grow steadily, and Wi-Fi usage within the airport has become extremely popular over the last year. Overall, we're expecting a two-fold increase again in the number of users of our services in the next 12 months."
According to Attingo, Internet usage by visitors in the Schiphol airport has grown rapidly since it was first available in 2000. Since then, user numbers have grown from 45,000 to a projected 800,000 in 2005. The average user now spends between 30 to 40 minutes on the Internet during their visit to the airport, an increase of 100 percent from around 20 minutes in 2000. This is largely due to reduced costs, higher performance from the network and increased reliance on Internet use.
Receiving more than 40 million passengers a year, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol serves as an important hub for business and personal travelers in Europe. The airport is among the most advanced in Europe in terms of communication services for passengers, with two large communication centers, including wired and wireless Internet access and telephone services.
Wi-Fi access is also available in all KLM Crown lounges throughout the airport.
"Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is one of the most technologically advanced facilities available to business travelers in Europe," commented Rene Hendrikse, sales director, Benelux, iPass. "With a wide range of Internet connectivity options, the airport is able to offer its visitors both flexibility and choice. Certifying the airport's network as Enterprise Ready shows that it is a safe and secure environment, which is critical for both business users and their network managers alike."
The iPass Enterprise Ready certification means that IT departments can confidently, easily and securely enable provision of access to corporate networks from more than 16,000 broadband access points—both Wi-Fi and Ethernet—around the world. Not only does this enable high levels of Internet service availability for business travelers and remote workers, but it also offers seamless interoperability with policy-based security systems such as virtual private networks, personal firewalls and anti-virus protection systems, ensuring users remain compliant with all corporate security and Internet usage policies.