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A growing trend in WiFi is the growth of Amenity WiFi.  Or Free WiFi. The increase in  demand for WiFi  at retail locations such as coffee shops, quick service restaurants, grocery stores, etc. have resulted in proprietors being required to offer WiFi more as an amenity than as a pay-as-you-go type service.  More patrons use free WiFi as a convenience criteria in making their choices of establishments.

As a result, location owners are continually looking to reduce the operating costs of a managed WiFi service.  Offering an unmanageable WiFi service has it risks, since reputation of an unreliable connectivity can spread quickly.  A managed WiFi service, on the other hand, offers a low cost option that allows establishments to offer this amenity to their customers with the service monitoring and assurance that matches the quality of large scale carrier WiFi deployments.

Operating Costs can be reduced by increasing the options by which Internet access can be provided.  The Pronto Point can be connected over a dynamically assigned IP address, thus allowing the use of even consumer grade DSL.  Since typical hotspots require a leased line or a statically assigned IP address from the Internet Service Providers, the cost of a managed free WiFi service can be prohibitive since proprietors don't have the luxury of charging patrons extra for the WiFi service.

Amenity WiFi Service Offering:

With the introduction of the Pronto Point Service Controller (PPSC), Amenity WiFi can be offered at a very nominal monthly cost. Centrally controlled by the UniFi OSS deployed at Pronto's Network Operations Center (NOC), the following benefits are delivered to establishments needing Amenity WiFi:

This service offering allows any PPSC owner to start offering Free WiFi services over an existing broadband Internet connection.  Centrally controlled by the UniFi OSS deployed at Pronto's Network Operations Center (NOC), the following benefits are delivered to establishments needing Amenity WiFi:

• Login Page allows for standard Terms of Use, that user has to Accept, and then is granted access to Internet, i.e. Secure connectivity with "Click and Go" Terms of Use agreement. 
• 24x7 Network Monitoring that provides a Managed WiFi service. 
• Location Owner notification of service issues and troubleshooting with predefined escalation procedure. 
• Support for Boingo and IPass Roaming customers.

Commercial Terms

• The initial 3 months of the service are billed at $50 per month upon signup. 
• PPSC shipped within 48 hours of ordering.  Pricing includes 3 month hardware warranty. 
• Subsequent months are charged to same credit card. 
• Offering for US customers only. 
• Existing Pronto MSP Wireless ISPs are provided branding options.
• Custom Branding options included for retail chains of more than 30 locations.

Please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to order a preconfigured PPSC. You will be required to complete a "Location information form" and submit Billing information to process the order. 

The Technical Specifications of the Pronto Point Service Controller can be downloaded here.

The solution can be upgraded using the Pronto UniFi OSS to include advanced revenue generating options, such as pay-as-you-go by purchasing online prepaid cards, where customers use their credit cards. Advanced Amenity Service options can include:

• Registration process to control use of free WiFi via user id, passwords, and other credentials.
• Small fee (online credit card purchase) to ensure compliance and subsidizing costs of WiFi. 
• Advertising options on the Login Page from neighborhood stores.