Cingular first with EDGE/Wi-Fi service in U.S., plans HSDPA

摘要

Cingular wireless has upped the ante in the U.S. wireless broadband market by launching the country's first integrated EDGE/ Wi-Fi service and detailing plans to upgrade its UMTS network to HSDPA by year-end. Cingular's new EDGE/Wi-Fi service is the group's first public Wi-Fi offering, and the service is available only to EDGE/GPRS subscribers. The operator says it offers Wi-Fi services at nearly 4,000 hot spots nationwide, including 15 of its own sites that were originally deployed by AT&T Wireless, which Cingular acquired last year. Most of the group's Wi-Fi coverage has come via roaming agreements with its owner, SBC Communications, as well as Wayport, Concourse Com-munications and StayOnline.