Etisalat teams up with iPass to offer Wi-Fi data roaming service

iPass has announced that United Arab Emirates-based telecoms group Etisalat has joined the iPass Open Mobile Exchange (iPass OMX) to offer its consumers access to a global Wi-Fi data roaming service. The agreement will enable business travelers and families to connect their smartphones and tablets to the internet at over a million Wi-Fi hotspots in the global iPass network. ‘Etisalat is one of the global telecommunication industry’s innovation pacesetters. I am pleased we can increasingly use our group-wide strength to give our partner operators access to new services demanded by customers,’ said Essa AlHaddad, chief commercial officer at Etisalat Group, adding: ‘By joining the iPass OMX, Etisalat will enable our customers to move around the world with a new cost-effective way of staying in touch with their businesses, family and friends.’ Etisalat initially expects to roll out the new service in the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Nigeria in 2012, to be followed by other countries at a later date.