Verizon Communications finally may be joining the Wi-Fi generation, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal. The company is considering offering free Wi-Fi to its residential broadband subscribers, similar to value-added offerings available from AT&T and Cablevision Systems, the latter of which is a direct competitor of Verizon. Cablevision and Verizon have been tussling in the headlines recently over Cablevision's upcoming launch of 101 Mbps broadband service, so perhaps a Wi-Fi offering will be Verizon's next move in the fight.
To date, Verizon has conspicuously stayed away from Wi-Fi, while AT&T actually has offered the capability for several years and acquired Wi-Fi partner Wayport last year. Verizon's partner in its would-be offering looks to be Boingo.
For more:
- The Wall Street Journal has this report [1]
Related articles
Cablevision announced a Wi-Fi offering last year [2]
AT&T acquired Wayport late last year [3]
Links:
[1] http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2009/05/01/verizon-to-offer-free-wi-fi-to-broadband-subscribers/
[2] http://www.fiercetelecom.com/story/cablevision-adding-subs-offering-wi-fi-losing-money/2008-05-09
[3] http://www.fiercetelecom.com/story/t-acquires-centennial-communications/2008-11-10