Comcast has started its initiative to expand Wi-Fi hotspot services by launching more than 160,000 Xfinity WiFi neighborhood hotspots in greater Atlanta.
Comcast is already the largest provider of Wi-Fi hotspots in Atlanta and Georgia, the company claimed today.
Xfinity Wi-Fi outdoor hotspots are already available in highly populated areas and tourist attractions, including Piedmont Park, Chastain Park, Buckhead and Atlantic Station, among others in Atlanta city, Comcast said.
As part of the expansion, Comcast has set up Xfinity Wi-Fi hotspots in public locations across the region, from shopping centers and parks to commuter stations. Comcast plans to eventually grow the presence of its Atlanta area outdoor hotspots to nearly 1,000 by year-end.
Most Comcast Business Internet customers are eligible to receive an Xfinity Wi-Fi hotspot without any additional charge when they order service. Currently, nearly 5,000 local Xfinity Wi-Fi hotspots are located in Comcast Business locations in the region.
Recently, Comcast began providing residential customers with Xfinity Wireless Gateways the ability to have a second xfinitywifi signal (or SSID) in their home that is separate and distinct from their private and secure home Wi-Fi signal. This second signal provides visiting Xfinity Internet customers Wi-Fi access without the need to use the homeowner’s private network and password.
Comcast targets 8 million Wi-Fi hotspots
Meanwhile, Comcast Cable today said its Xfinity Wi-Fi network will reach 8 million hotspots by the end of 2014, covering 19 of the country’s 30 largest cities with fast and reliable wireless Internet access.
Comcast estimates that nearly 200 million out-of-home sessions have been initiated on the Xfinity Wi-Fi network so far this year, a 700 percent increase from the same period last year.
According to Cisco, 88 percent of all U.S. data traffic on mobile and portable devices will travel over Wi-Fi by 2018.
