O2 Extends 3G Mobile Broadband Service
O2 Extends 3G Mobile Broadband Service
29th June , 2009
UK : O2 announced that its mobile broadband customers will have access to thousands of BT Openzone Wi-Fi hotspots for the first time. The partnership, which existing customers will see come into effect today (1), coincides with an upgrade (2) to O2’s Mobile Broadband Connection Manager software, enabling users to manage their data consumption more effectively.
The deal with BT Openzone offers an additional 3,000 hotspots (including most branches of Starbucks), and builds on the unlimited Wi-Fi all O2 customers benefit from with their O2 mobile broadband tariff. Inset shows a typical O2 Modem dongle.
O2 will also be upgrading its Connection Manager software. The new software will automatically copy existing Wi-Fi profiles from a customer’s laptop into Connection Manager during the initial installation process. This will seamlessly connect users to their home or business broadband wireless networks, without the need to manually enter security codes.
The upgrade will also see the addition of a data counter, enabling users to monitor and control their data consumption more easily. The data counter will provide accurate usage information for individual sessions and link through to an overall usage page. To add extra peace-of-mind for consumers, an automatic notification will be sent to the Connection Manager when 75%, 90% and 100% of their data allowance has been reached.
Existing O2 customers can take advantage of these new features from after a simple upgrade to their existing software. New Customers will benefit from extended Wi-Fi coverage and the improved Connection Manager from the end of July.
Jonathan Earle, Head of Pay Monthly, said: “We appreciate that our customers want to get the most from their mobile broadband service and we continually look to provide value-added services for them.
“We are introducing two key changes. Firstly, expanding our Unlimited Wi-Fi proposition by introducing BT Openzone Wi-Fi hotspots allowing our customers to stay connected to the people and things that matter to them most. Secondly, we know that customers want to be able to track how much data they have used. Our simple data counter gives the control that our customers want.”