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iPass Joins Forces With WifiForward
[April 16, 2014]

iPass Joins Forces With WifiForward


(Marketwire Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) REDWOOD SHORES, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 04/16/14 -- iPass Inc. (NASDAQ: IPAS), a leading provider of global Wi-Fi for enterprises and telecom service providers, today announced that it has joined the WifiForward coalition to lobby for the release of unlicensed spectrum in order to alleviate the Wi-Fi spectrum crunch. iPass joins companies such as Microsoft, Motorola, Comcast and Google in lobbying the U.S. government and the FCC to expand access to unlicensed spectrum. Spectrum shortage is a critical issue: 76% of today's mobile data on smartphones and tablets is carried across Wi-Fi.(1) With data traffic growing at a rate of 68% per year,(2) releasing additional unlicensed spectrum is of paramount importance to corporate productivity and economic vitality.



Wi-Fi connections are at risk of being overwhelmed as the number of mobile devices continues to increase compounded by rapid growth of data applications and services. Currently, a solid majority of tablet users depend on Wi-Fi for connectivity, with 74% of tablets sold as Wi-Fi only.(3) And 4G isn't damping the appetite for unlicensed spectrum; in fact, monthly Wi-Fi usage on both 3G and 4G devices is on the rise,(4) with over 80% of business smartphone and tablet users choosing to use Wi-Fi first -- before mobile data -- in static locations.(5) The aim of the WifiForward coalition is to marshal support to: Protect and strengthen existing unlicensed spectrum designations Free up new spectrum for unlicensed use at a variety of frequencies, including low, medium and high frequency bands Establish investment-friendly, transparent and predictable unlicensed rules that encourage growth and deployment "Wi-Fi has cemented itself as the world's most effective mobile technology. It is now responsible for 75% of total data traffic, and further growth is projected over the next five years," said Evan Kaplan, CEO of iPass. "In the 4G era, consumers are using more Wi-Fi, not less. Wi-Fi will play an increasingly important role across a broad range of uses, including automated services such as cloud synchronization and backup of smartphone pictures, and data-intensive end-user services such as YouTube, Netflix and other video services. We look forward to helping the WifiForward coalition gain support for policies that strengthen existing spectrum designations and free up new frequencies for Wi-Fi." "The growth of Wi-Fi is an incredible success story," said Ellen Satterwhite, spokesperson for WifiForward. "It has enabled millions of people to connect, learn, explore and grow -- and companies like iPass have used this resource to generate billions of dollars in economic activity. Ensuring access to additional spectrum for Wi-Fi is essential to our growing innovation economy. We are proud to work with iPass on this important issue." For more information, please visit: http://www.ipass.com and the iPass blog, Smarter Connections.

About iPass Inc.iPass helps enterprises and telecom service providers ensure their employees and subscribers stay well-connected. Founded in 1996, iPass (NASDAQ: IPAS) is the world's largest commercial Wi-Fi network and trusted connectivity platform, with 2.2 million hotspots across 130 countries and territories. iPass also delivers access to millions of community hotspots around the globe. iPass gives its customers easy connectivity for smartphones, tablets and laptops around the world -- simply, securely and cost effectively. For more information, please visit: www.iPass.com and the iPass blog, Smarter Connections.


iPass® is a registered trademark of iPass Inc. Wi-Fi® is a registered trademark of the WiFi Alliance. All other trademarks are owned by their respective owners.

(1) "Smartphone use transforming with the rise of 4G and Wi-Fi," Informa Telecoms and Media, 2014 (2) "The Value of Unlicensed Spectrum," WiFiForward fact sheet, 2014.

(3) "Smartphone use transforming with the rise of 4G and Wi-Fi," Informa Telecoms and Media, 2014.

(4) "Smartphone use transforming with the rise of 4G and Wi-Fi," Informa Telecoms and Media, 2014.

(5) iPass Mobile Workforce Report Q1 2014.

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