Nokia PDA users get global WiFi access via iPass

Stuart Corner
Friday, 28 April 2006 07:28

Business IT - Technology

Nokia Enterprise Solutions and global Internet roaming access provider iPass are to jointly develop wireless connectivity software for the Nokia 9500, the Nokia 9300i and the Nokia Eseries devices that will enable them to connect to the Internet via over 50,000 WiFi hotspots around the globe.
iPass already provides this functionality for laptop users through agreements with numerous hotspot operators and the iPassConnect client software which run on Windows, Mac and Windows Mobile operating systems.

The collaboration will initially focus on the development of a wireless connectivity client for select Nokia mobile business devices running on Series 80 and S60 software platforms. The client for the Nokia 9300i and the Nokia 9500 is expected to be available by mid 2006 and for the Nokia Eseries devices by the end of 2006.

Separately Nokia has become a pilot user of the iPass Corporate Access service (using the existing iPassConnect client on company laptops) ahead of a planned company-wide global rollout later this quarter. Nokia will use the service to provide secure and reliable connectivity to company resources via the Internet.

iPass Corporate Access gives remote and mobile workers access to the Internet from over 160 countries around the world with dial, ISDN, wired and wireless broadband connectivity. It integrates with existing security systems and technologies and incorporates its own centralised policy-based management and end-to-end security enforcement that allow IT managers to maintain control over how users connect to the Internet without jeopardising key corporate assets.