KPN has significantly expanded its Wi-Fi hotspot roaming network for customers. KPN HotSpots and WeRoam (Comfone AG) have signed an agreement to incorporate almost 29,000 Wi-Fi hotspots from the WeRoam global virtual broadband network into KPNs existing international HotSpot network. In turn, WeRoam will have access to KPNs network of more than 700 hotspots throughout The Netherlands. The agreement enables KPNs mobile customers and KPN HotSpot subscribers to access their email, corporate networks and the internet from an increased number of Wi-Fi locations. These WeRoam hotspot locations will be complementary to the 30.000 locations worldwide already available to KPNs customers. KPN aims to offer customers the best available connection to the people and information that are important to them, no matter where they are.

HotSpot Deutschland is the biggest independent WISP in Germany with more than 300 locations in all major cities. Existing WeRoam customers can now connect to the Internet at all locations throughout Germany using the access method they are familiar with. In addition to its own locations, HotSpot Deutschland also operates all AOL HotSpots, known as AOL Kiosk systems. It is the main strategy for HotSpot Deutschland to find and service all existing and future Key HotSpot locations in highly frequented restaurants within Germany.

The number of unique users of the WeRoam network rose by 130 per cent in the last quarter, easily outstripping the growth of alternatives and highlighting the importance of a neutral roaming model. With the impressive user raise comes also a doubled minute usage increase. Most important is the fact that the growth rates are geographically well balanced, cementing the global need for wireless broadband and the need to eliminate the complexity of wireless Internet connections.

As provider of a neutral and open roaming platform, WeRoam has been a supporter of open standards since the beginning. Following this vision it was obvious that any implemented roaming procedure had to be industry approved and especially beneficial for the end user itself. Choosing WISPr was a logical step for WeRoam as it is based on standard username/password credentials and perfectly suited for the support of software clients (dashboard) and basic internet browser use. But the main driver of course is the simplicity and unification for end users when accessing Wi-Fi hotspots form various WISPs all over the world.

About WISPr: Since it is difficult for a single service provider to build an infrastructure that offers global access to its subscribers, roaming between service providers is encouraged by the Wi-Fi Alliance with the WISPr protocol. WISPr is a set of recommendations approved by the alliance which facilitate inter-network and inter-operator roaming of Wi-Fi users.