This in my opinion is the beginning of WiFi telephony taking hold in a so called dual-mode configuration allowing GSM and WiFi telephony calls to be made via a single device. I may be reading into this a bit but this seems inevitable and Wayport is the biggest competitor to T-Mobile hotspots. T-Mobile of course competes with Cingular a fellow GSM network in the US.

WAYPORT AND CINGULAR ANNOUNCE WI-FI ROAMING AGREEMENT IN HOTELS AND AIRPORTS

Cingular to Package Wayport Wi-Fi High-Speed Internet Access with its EDGE High-Speed Data Service

New Orleans, March 14, 2005 – Wayport, the nation’s largest provider of Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g) wireless and wired high-speed Internet access to mobile travelers in nearly 7,000 locations, announced today that it has reached a strategic Wi-Fi roaming agreement with Cingular, the nation’s largest wireless carrier.
The agreement will enable Cingular customers to access select Wayport neutral-host high-speed Wi-Fi network hot spots in hundreds of hotels and airports.

“The addition of Cingular to our growing list of strategic roaming partners further strengthens the commitment we have made to our neutral-host strategy,” said Dave Vucina, CEO of Wayport. “By opening up our network to key industry players such as Cingular, Wayport continues to drive the maximum number of customers to our partner locations.”

Subscribers of Cingular’s Wi-Fi Access will be able to use Wayport’s Wi-Fi service in hotel common areas and at airport terminals and gates. Wayport’s current and future partner locations will benefit from the additional customers and the marketing power of what is now the nation’s largest wireless carrier. With this agreement, Cingular will offer seamless access and simplified processes for connectivity and billing as part of the bundled features that will meet the productivity needs of their mobile subscribers.

“This alliance with Wayport allows us to complement our national EDGE high-speed data network by offering fast broadband access in hotels and airports through WiFi roaming agreements with companies like Wayport, “ said Abhi Ingle, of Cingular’s Business Markets Group.