Announcements
Worldwide Wi-Fi Hotspots Hits the 100,000 Mark
Industry milestone reinforces the rapid adoption of public wireless access.
Seoul, Tokyo and London top JiWire's international Wi-Fi Cities list. San Francisco, New York and Chicago top JiWire's domestic Wi-Fi Cities list.
San Francisco, Calif. – January 24, 2006 -The number of worldwide Wi-Fi hotspots has surpassed the 100,000 milestone according to recent numbers released by JiWire, the leading provider of Wi-Fi hotspot information and services (www.jiwire.com). A hotspot is a physical address where people can connect to a public wireless network, such as a cafe, hotel or airport.
JiWire's "Top Ten" lists count the number of verified public hotspots in cities and countries around the world, serving as a dependable indicator of local Wi-Fi adoption. Seoul (2,056) tops JiWire's list of WiFi friendly cities list for having the greatest number of hotspot locations, followed by Tokyo (1,802) and London (1,627). The top domestic Wi-Fi cities are San Francisco (801), New York (643), and Chicago (501).
For a full listing of the Top Ten Hotspot Cities and Top Ten Countries, go to (http://www.jiwire.com/search-hotspot-locations.htm)
Key growth milestones from January 2005 to January 2006:
- The number of worldwide hotspots grew 87%, from 53,779 in 93 countries to 100,355 hotspots in 115 countries.
- The top three Wi-Fi cities in January 2005 were London, New York and Paris, whereas in 2006 the top three cities are Seoul, Tokyo and London.
- The top three Wi-Fi countries in January 2005 were the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany, whereas in January 2006 the top three countries are the United States, the United Kingdom and South Korea.
"Crossing the 100K milestone is very exciting, and the technology is really just getting started," said Wi-Fi Alliance Managing Director, Frank Hanzlik. "With Wi-Fi going into a wider array of devices like portable gaming consoles, digital cameras and mobile phones, we expect public hotspots to continue to grow at a rapid rate".
"In just this past year, we've seen almost 100 percent growth in the number of hotspots around the world," said Kevin McKenzie, CEO of JiWire. "With more than 115 countries having adopted Wi-Fi, we're witnessing a true global connectivity phenomenon."
About JiWire
Founded in 2003, JiWire provides information and services to help mobile professionals and computer enthusiasts find and connect to the wireless Internet. Through relationships with 400 Wireless Internet Service Providers (WISPs) and thousands of independent venues, JiWire offers the most comprehensive and up-to-date guide to verified public hotspot locations around the world as well as unbiased how-to guides, product reviews, and industry news. This critical information, combined with services to manage and securely connect to any wireless network, offer users everything they need to safely and easily connect without wires -- anywhere. Customers include AvantGo, CNET Networks, Forbes.com, iPass, PC World, and USATODAY.com, among others. JiWire.com was named one of the "50 Coolest Websites" by Time Magazine and is a recipient of a 2005 Mobility Award presented by MobileTrax. With over one million people using JiWire's services, the company has created one of the world's largest WiFi communities. To learn more, please visit www.jiwire.com.
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