{"id":750045,"date":"2013-05-07T11:27:34","date_gmt":"2013-05-07T15:27:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/gigaom.com\/?p=642896"},"modified":"2013-05-07T11:27:34","modified_gmt":"2013-05-07T15:27:34","slug":"need-instant-wi-fi-boingo-makes-it-an-itunes-in-app-purchase","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mereja.com\/index\/750045","title":{"rendered":"Need instant Wi-Fi? Boingo makes it an iTunes in-app purchase"},"content":{"rendered":"

With over 600,000 Wi-Fi hotspots, Boingo Wireless<\/a> has connectivity available all around the world. Signing up for a new Boingo account is relatively painless but when you need Wi-Fi in a hurry, who wants to waste time jumping through registration hoops? Folks with an iOS device don’t have to any longer: Boingo now supports iTunes payments for its services<\/a>.<\/p>

The special iTunes plan costs $7.99 per month and is available directly through the Boingo Wi-Finder app for iOS<\/a>. The software also includes a VPN service. By using the iTunes in-app purchase, users can immediately get a Wi-Fi subscription for their iPod touch, iPad or iPhone. The subscription is an auto-renewal, however: if you don’t want to continue it on a monthly basis, you’ll have to cancel it.<\/p>

This is a clever move by Boingo to make it easier for paid Wi-Fi access. There are two things I’d like to see in the future though. First, offer an in-app purchase for other Boingo plans, such as an hourly or daily basis. Currently, the company does offer Boingo Credits, which provide an hour of Wi-Fi access for $1.99, for example. Second, why not extend the same simple in-app purchase on Android through Google Wallet?<\/p>

Either way, potential Boingo customers using iOS devices now have one less barrier to get connectivity in airports, shopping malls, restaurants, universities and other locations around the world.<\/p>
\"\"

<\/a><\/p>

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:<\/strong>
Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial<\/a>.<\/p>