|
Logging On Is Soaring At
Philadelphia International Airport
Free Wi-Fi on
weekends, every day for college students is a hit with passengers
Philadelphia - Wireless
Internet connections have spiked significantly since mid-December when
Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) began offering free wireless Internet
access to college students every day and to all passengers on weekends. Overall
monthly wireless connections in January increased an astounding 132% compared
with January 2007, from 10,393 to 24,166. More than half of the connections,
12,855, were free with the majority coming on weekends.
Students from
469 colleges and universities in the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia,
China, India, Mexico, South America and The Netherlands took advantage of free
Wi-Fi in January. Cornell University had the most student connections with 74,
followed by Penn State (45), the University of Pennsylvania (43), Temple (33)
and Yale (21).
"The City of Philadelphia is always looking for
opportunities to facilitate access to the Internet, whether it's in a private
residence or in a large public facility like the Airport," said Mayor Michael
Nutter. "Offering free wireless Internet access to college students every day
and to all passengers on weekends fits perfectly with the City's other wireless
initiatives."
Weekend connections were typically more than three times
higher than weekdays. On Sunday, January 27th, some 1,584 connections were
recorded compared with 598 on Friday, January 25th. January 6th, a Sunday, had
the most single-day connections with 2,061.
In order to access the
free Wi-Fi service, students must present a college identification card at any
Airport Information Counter and obtain an authorization code to connect when
prompted to do so on their computer screens. The code enables the students to
log onto the Internet for up to 24 hours on their laptops. On weekends, an
authorization code is not needed to access the Internet for free.
"So
many people are traveling with laptops and using their time in the airport to
connect to home, school or office that complimentary Wi-Fi is a valued
amenity," said Charles Isdell, Acting Director of Aviation. "Philadelphia
International was one of the first airports in the country to offer wireless
Internet access. We're pleased to take that to another level and provide free
access to college students every day and to everyone on weekends."
The
normal cost for wireless Internet access at Philadelphia International Airport
is $7.95 for a 24-hour connection; $39.95 for monthly unlimited access.
Computers must have either built-in Wi-Fi technology or an 802.1 1b network
interface card in order to connect. Computer users open their web browsers and
are directed to the Airport's Wi-Fi Splash screen for instructions on accessing
the Internet.
The Philadelphia Airport System is owned and operated by the City of
Philadelphia and is composed of Philadelphia International Airport and
Northeast Philadelphia Airport. The Airport System is a self-sustaining entity
that operates without the use of local tax dollars. It is one of the largest
economic engines in Pennsylvania, generating an estimated $14 billion in
spending to the regional economy and employing a workforce of nearly
34,000.
Back to
the News section. |
