Boingo Buys Sprint's WiFi Business

Sprint wants you to use WiMax or EVDO, but they don't care about WiFi. In what is a great move for Boingo, the L.A. based company has acquired eight more airports, giving them the exclusive wireless rights.

Since we all know territory establishes control, and there are how many million of 802.11b/g ready PC's this gives Boingo, one of the most reliable operators out there (just fly through O'Hare and see) a large number of the major USA airports, thus putting them head to head with the "free" airports model.

As a regular traveler its much nicer to have a 1 meg plus connection from Boingo versus the paltry sub 128k connection I get at San Diego International, or the 256 found in Las Vegas. In Phoenix where the service is also free I was only able too eek out a 68k connection.

With Boingo the airports get a company which has a revenue model and current technology leadership. With free WiFi the airport subsidizes and has to pay for the bandwidth and the upkeep, but plays into the hands of the mobile operators who offer PICO cells to improve coverage for EVDO and HSDPA by renting out storage cabinets.

Don't be fooled. This is a game all about money, not about access, but for Boingo it gives them the upper hand and for those of us who travel, the Boingo name on a WiFi network is a welcoming sign.