We love the way Wi-Fi keeps us connected almost everywhere we go.  From subway stations to convention centers, cafes to parks, and airplanes to retail outlets, public Wi-Fi hotspots are everywhere.  Today, there are more than a million hotspots around the world - and that number is growing by leaps and bounds.  In fact, Informa Telecoms and Media predicts there will be 5.8 million hotspots worldwide in 2015.  This growth is driven in part by service providers.  Chances are your mobile provider has a growing network of Wi-Fi hotspots.

As the number of hotspots takes off over the next few years, using them is going to become much easier.  Until now, connecting in many hotspot environments can be cumbersome - users typically have to search for and choose a network, request the connection to the access point (AP) each time, and in many cases, must re-enter their authentication credentials. But a new program from the device makers and service providers in the Wi-Fi industry is changing all of that.

Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Passpoint™ transforms the way users connect to Wi-Fi hotspot networks by making the process of finding and getting access to the right network seamless.  It also provides WPA2™ security protection to user connections, enabling you to feel confident that your data is safe.   Mobile devices, such as handsets and tablets, that are certified for Passpoint can still be used in existing hotspots. However, when you are in a Passpoint-enabled hotspot, you’ll discover a newly-smooth connectivity experience.

As Passpoint-enabled hotspots proliferate, users will discover another exciting benefit: Wi-Fi roaming.  Service providers are working together to define mechanisms for subscribers to “roam” to one another’s hotspots – meaning that you’ll be able to connect using Wi-Fi in more locations than ever.