IPass
Encyclopedia
- For the electronic toll collection system see I-PassI-PassI-PASS is the electronic toll collection system used by the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority on its toll highways. It uses the same transponder as the E-ZPass system used in the Northeastern US, and the Indiana Toll Road's i-Zoom program....
.
iPass, a commercial company, unifies the management of remote and mobile devices and connectivity. It provides Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
services to business users working remotely (away from their home office, region or country) by integrating Internet connectivity with management of VPN
Virtual private network
A virtual private network is a network that uses primarily public telecommunication infrastructure, such as the Internet, to provide remote offices or traveling users access to a central organizational network....
and other third-party security applications. The typical end-user is a mobile worker with a laptop computer, Windows Mobile or other handheld device. Founded in 1996, iPass is a public company headquartered in Redwood Shores, California. It maintains operations in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia.
iPass end-users can connect to more than 100,000 Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi or Wifi, is a mechanism for wirelessly connecting electronic devices. A device enabled with Wi-Fi, such as a personal computer, video game console, smartphone, or digital audio player, can connect to the Internet via a wireless network access point. An access point has a range of about 20...
hotspots
Hotspot (Wi-Fi)
A hotspot is a site that offers Internet access over a wireless local area network through the use of a router connected to a link to an Internet service provider...
and Ethernet
Ethernet
Ethernet is a family of computer networking technologies for local area networks commercially introduced in 1980. Standardized in IEEE 802.3, Ethernet has largely replaced competing wired LAN technologies....
venues in more than 160 countries throughout the world. The client software, iPassConnect
IPassConnect
iPassConnect is mobility software produced by iPass in 1999 which allows mobile devices such as laptop computers, PDAs, and other internet enabled devices to connect to the Internet over Wi-Fi hotspots, Ethernet, Dialup, and mobile broadband network services such as HSUPA, EVDO, 1xRTT, GPRS and UMTS...
can also be used to connect to mobile broadband network services such as HSUPA, EVDO, 1xRTT, GPRS and UMTS. In areas lacking wireless and wired broadband access-points, iPass's legacy dialup service can be used, in which one calls a local or toll-free phone number that connects to the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
. In May 2008 iPass started to offer in-flight Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi or Wifi, is a mechanism for wirelessly connecting electronic devices. A device enabled with Wi-Fi, such as a personal computer, video game console, smartphone, or digital audio player, can connect to the Internet via a wireless network access point. An access point has a range of about 20...
on certain flights.
The iPass Mobile Office service allows IT managers to monitor and manage end-users' Internet connections, which would be otherwise invisible if end-users used the native wireless connection manager embedded within their operating systems. End-users have a single account enabling them to securely connect to the Internet anywhere in the world.
Outside of the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, iPass markets largely to an enterprise customer-base - typically through channel partners such as Orange Business Services, Deutsche Telekom
Deutsche Telekom
Deutsche Telekom AG is a telecommunications company headquartered in Bonn, Germany. It is the largest telecommunications company in Europe....
and Cable & Wireless
Cable & Wireless
Cable & Wireless Worldwide PLC is a global telecommunications company headquartered in Bracknell, United Kingdom. Cable & Wireless specialises in providing communication networks and services to large corporates, governments, carrier customers and resellers...
, or through value-added resellers. Within the US, iPass sells directly to enterprise customers as well as making use of channel partners such as Sayers and iRoam. End-users based in the US were previously able to sign up for the consumer offering directly from the iPass web site, but effective July 13, 2010, the company ceased accepting new individual iPass customers and accepts only businesses.
In practice, iPass operates through a massive organization of billing agreements with local providers, together with ongoing updates to the client-software application.