Filed under: Wireless, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
Boingo Mobile comes to the iPhone/iPod touch
Good news for travelers or anyone who is frequently on the go: Boingo has just released Boingo Mobile [iTunes link] for the iPhone and iPod touch. Boingo Mobile is actually a pretty handy service, especially for the frequent traveler. For $7.95 a month (5.95 EUR, 3.95 GBP), you get unlimited data and VOiP access to all Boingo Mobile hotspot locations throughout the world. This includes practically every major airport, US Starbucks and McDonalds locations and an insane number of hotels.
I use the Boingo Unlimited service when working away from home (it's about the same price as adding HotSpot access to my cell phone and I get access to more networks) and Boingo Mobile is a great compliment to the service.
I played with Boingo Mobile at Starbucks today and what really stood out was the login process. You only have to authenticate once per Wi-Fi provider. So if you are at Starbucks, which is provided by AT&T, you select your hotspot from within the iPhone or iPod touch, login with Boingo Mobile and you're online.
If you go to another Starbucks or another AT&T provided hotspot, you will be automatically connected and authenticated. Although there are many thousands of hotspots, most are powered by a handful of providers -- authenticating once makes the login process that much more seamless.
For iPhone owners who want to use VOiP but don't want to run the risk of inciting AT&T's contract police, consider trying Boingo Mobile's 30-day free trial. Boingo Mobile is a free app and is available from the App Store [link]; Boingo Mobile accounts are $7.95 a month US and are separate from Boingo Unlimited plans.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Beanie said 5:22PM on 12-08-2008
Since when is using VoIP over Wi-Fi inciting AT&T's contract police? I'm confused.
Reply
Christina Warren said 5:26PM on 12-08-2008
Check the fine print -- the data plan you pay for for AT&T doesn't include using VOiP with your device. http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-10016250-17.html
Beanie said 5:29PM on 12-08-2008
Ok, I know they wouldn't allow it over 3G, it just sounded like you meant over Wi-Fi, which has nothing at all to do with the AT&T data plan. The only way you can do it over 3G anyways is if you're jailbroken.
Christina Warren said 5:37PM on 12-08-2008
Gotcha - and I understand why you were confused. I could have made my point more clear. If you are in an area that is well served by Boingo (most major cities), I think it is a considerably better option than paying for AT&T's Wi-Fi add-on plan (or T-Mobile's plan if you use them and you have an iPod touch) because you have access to so many more access points.
glad said 6:09PM on 12-08-2008
It'll prove useful when I am in Spain next year.
Reply
Jason said 2:26AM on 12-09-2008
No it won't! Unless things have changed recently, you have to pay a surcharge for using operators in Spain. In fact, the last time I looked, the surcharge cost around the same as not actually having Boingo in the first place!
Cheers,
Jason.
glad said 1:01PM on 12-09-2008
thanks will check it out in more detail
Jeremy Pepper said 1:12PM on 12-09-2008
Nope - no surcharges or premium fees - it's part of the service with Boingo Mobile. So, you should be fine.
E said 7:44PM on 12-08-2008
However, AT&T Offers free WiFi to all iPhone customers, at all AT&T hotspots - which include all the Boingo spots. Why exactly would I choose to pay $8 a month to get something that is included free already (unless I am a frequent world traveller)?
Reply
Allan Libunao said 7:44PM on 12-08-2008
This will definitely prove useful when I visit Southeast Asia next week.
Thanks for the heads up!
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amglasser said 8:09PM on 12-08-2008
Just to be really clear about the association and authentication process:
You only have to associate with each Wi-Fi network once (done in the Settings.app). However, each time you enter that Wi-Fi network (so, if you go from one Starbucks to another, or go back to the same one the next day), you still have to open the Boingo app to reauthenticate to each network.
The real benefit of this Boingo app is that it allows you to use your $7.95 Boingo Mobile Unlimited account at any Boingo or Boingo Partner hotspot. Without a client app (such as this or the Devicescape Easy Wi-Fi), there's no manual way to log into these hotspots Boingo Mobile account - only the full Boingo accounts can be used manually ($21.95 for USA/$59.00 Worldwide unlimited).
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kenc29 said 8:57PM on 12-08-2008
Coverage in China is poor. Only 5 cities, three biggies, Beijing and Shanghai and Tianjin, and two small ones, Qingdao and Qinhuangdao. Perhaps a dozen Starbucks in Beijing, and that's it. About 300 locations each in Beijing and Shanghai, mostly at hotels.
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Jeremy Pepper said 1:12PM on 12-09-2008
Hi Ken,
We're continuing to expand our network and will have some more announcements in January.
(BTW, I am with Boingo).
profcrayzee said 2:14AM on 12-09-2008
Ok I'll ask it again since it didn't get answered before.
Isn't wifi access at at&t locations (starbucks, mcdonalds) already free to iphone customers? I don't get what boingo brings to the table for an extra fee. Anybody?
http://gizmodo.com/388519/free-att-iphone-wi+fi-is-officially-back
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Michelle said 7:55AM on 12-09-2008
I don't know about the iPhone, but for us iPod Touch folks this is pretty cool way to get more Wi-Fi access at a reasonable monthly price instead of being charged through the nose for hotspot access.
Jeremy Pepper said 1:12PM on 12-09-2008
Hi Prof,
Boingo Mobile gives you access to 80,000+ hotspots around the world. And, AT&T is one of our partners - as you note - and is a great part of the Boingo Network.
The benefit in NA is access to other locations that are not AT&T - hotels, other retail locations, airports - that get you online with your iPhone or iPod Touch.
Hope this helps.
(Again, yep, with Boingo).
profcrayzee said 8:01AM on 12-09-2008
yes I can see it being useful to the ipod touch. The iphone is mentioned in the headline though, so I'm wondering are there any benefits for iphone users?
It just seems like the author of the article could have mentioned this.
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Allan Libunao said 11:32PM on 12-09-2008
In case anyone was considering signing up for Boingo mobile wi-fi access for traveling outside the US, you might want to read this:
http://www.allanlibunao.com/boingo-mobile-wi-fi-flat-flee
A Boingo Help Desk Tier 2 Customer Support guy said you'd get hit with premium charges under mobile contracts/plans.
:-(
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Allan Libunao said 11:14AM on 12-10-2008
Just got clarification on this issue from Boingo sales over the phone:
If you are not currently subscribing to a Boingo laptop plan and thus signing up for the Boingo service for the first time for iPhone use, then you qualify for the $7.95 per month plan which has no extra fees for overseas use.
:D
Jeremy Pepper said 1:26PM on 12-10-2008
Hi Allan,
Just responded on from your Tweet / Posterous post - sounds like there is confusion. Our laptop plan is $9.95/month special, and is for North America. When you are in Europe or Asia, there are premium fees.
Boingo Mobile - a different product - is $7.95/month and is worldwide with no extra fees.
Hope this helps.