AT&T Wi-Fi Connections Up 4x in 2009

AT&T reported that its customers made 85.5 million connections to the Internet in 2009 using AT&T’s Wi-Fi network, four times the number of Wi-Fi connections made in 2008.

In the fourth quarter 2009, AT&T customers made 35.3 million Wi-Fi connections, up 10 million connections from the third quarter of 2009. Fourth quarter connections also surpassed the number of connections made in the entire first half of 2009.

AT&T expects Wi-Fi usage to continue to surge as more customers utilize Wi-Fi on their smartphones and integrated devices and have Wi-Fi included with their service.

According to AT&T, customers are choosing Wi-Fi for its simple, reliable and fast connection and for its convenience. With the rapid rise of Wi-Fi enabled smartphones and integrated devices, connections from these devices now comprise the majority of connections made on AT&T’s Wi-Fi network.

Smartphones and integrated devices accounted for 72 percent of fourth-quarter connections and 61 percent of the total connections in 2009.

AT&T’s Wi-Fi network complements its wired broadband and wireless 3G networks, offering Wi-Fi connectivity in more than 20,000 U.S. hotspots – including retail stores and restaurants from coast-to-coast. A full list of AT&T Wi-Fi locations is available at www.attwifi.com.