Sprint has already been using Boingo WiFi to offload some of their cellular traffic, and help keep their network running as smooth as possible. When more and more devices are connected to a wireless network in the same area, it degrades the experience for other users. Typically, what happens is that speeds slow down, due to the amount of bandwidth that is available. Sprint is using Boingo to offload some of their cellular traffic at airports, where Boingo already has a number of WiFi hotspots.
Now, Boingo’s CEO, David Hagan, stated that an unnamed “tier 1 carrier” is also using Boingo to offload traffic. Hagan stated that they are currently doing this for this carrier in a major US airport already and “are working with them to develop a roll out schedule.” He also expects that the full roll out will take a few months, like their Sprint deployment did. Now, both Boingo and AT&T executives have been quite on whether the unnamed wireless carrier was AT&T or someone else. However, those familiar with the matter have said that it’s likely AT&T.
It’s possible that the unnamed carrier may never be named, and there’s really no need for them to be named. The whole purpose of offloading traffic to Boingo’s WiFi network is to improve the customer experience. So it doesn’t really matter how it’s done, as long as the experience is still good for customers and they don’t end up paying extra. Boingo may be looking at doing the same thing for other carriers as well. Seeing as airports are typically pretty congested, for WiFi networks, it would be a pretty big deal for all four carriers to offloads some traffic onto Boingo, who is already available in the majority of large airports in the US.
Lately, AT&T’s network has had quite a few issues in keeping up with their competitors. As recent studies show, AT&T’s network experience has been getting worse and worse. In fact, in OpenSignal’s report from last week, they were behind both T-Mobile and Verizon in many categories, with Sprint coming in last. So something needs to be done, and hopefully Boingo can help them out, at least at major US airports.