“To go from a new market entrant to a world leader in our first full year of operations is really exciting,” said Dan Toomey, free-hotspot.com’s Chief Executive Officer. “Moreover, I am pleased not only with our growth, but also with the growth of free Wi-Fi in general throughout Europe. The number of free wireless HotSpots in Europe more than doubled in 2006,” he explained. “The fact that free-hotspot.com accounted for more than 60% of that growth underscores our commitment to accelerate the spread of FREE wireless Internet services across Europe. We look forward to continuing our efforts to meet the public demand for FREE Wi-Fi in 2007.”

The statistical growth in European FREE HotSpots and the role played by free-hotspot.com were confirmed by JiWire, which operates the world’s largest directory of verified public hotspots. Kevin McKenzie, Chief Executive Officer of JiWire, commented, “We believe that free or low cost service supported by advertising will shape the future of public Wi-Fi. We are pleased to see free-hotspot.com taking the lead in driving this trend. While a number of companies have announced their intentions to build networks that provide some level of free Wi-Fi access, free-hotspot.com is actually making it happen. Their growth this year is impressive.”

About free-hotspot.com:
free-hotspot.com operates Europe’s largest and fastest growing free wireless network. The company currently operates more than 600 free HotSpots in 14 countries throughout Europe. Its HotSpots are located in cafés, hotels, pubs, restaurants, retail centres, transit centres and other public venues. To gain access to the company’s free wireless Internet service, users agree to watch an advertisement. For this innovation, free-hotspot.com received the prestigious WBI (Wireless Broadband Innovation) Award for Best Public Wi-Fi Product 2006 and was recognized at Best Business Idea for the hospitality industry at the Fizzz Awards in Germany this year.

free-hotspot.com supports an active user community and provides free wireless Internet service to more than 40,000 people each month. The company operates the industry’s most comprehensive directory of free HotSpots which currently lists more than 12,000 free wireless internet locations worldwide. To learn more about the free HotSpot programme or to find the free HotSpot nearest you, please visit: http://www.free-hotspot.com.

Press contacts:
Emma Keenan / Johanna Toiviainen
Open2Europe
Phone: +33 1 55 02 14 59 / 58
e-mail: e.keenan@open2europe.com / j.toiviainen@open2europe.com

« Este extraordinara evolutia noastra de la noul intrat pe piata la liderul in domeniu inca din primul an de la infiintare » a declarat Dan Toomey, presedintele firmei free-hotspot.com. « In plus, sunt foarte multumit, nu doar de evolutia noastra, dar si de cea a wi-fi-ului gratuit in general in Europa. Numarul hotspot-urilor wireless gratuite in Europa s-a mai mult decat dublat in 2006 », a explicat. «Faptul ca free-hotspot.com e responsabila de peste 60% din aceasta evolutie subliniaza efortul nostru de a accelera raspandirea serviciilor internet wireless gratuite in Europa. Suntem nerabdatori sa continuam aceste eforturi de a raspunde cererii publicului de wi-fi gratuit in 2007. »

Cresterea statistica a HotSpot-urilor gratuite in Europa si rolul companiei free-hotspot.com au fost confirmate de JiWire, care administreaza cel mai mare anuar de hotspot-uri publice agreate. Kevin McKenzie, Presedintele firmei JiWire a declarat : « Suntem convinsi ca serviciile gratuite sau low cost finantate de publicitate vor schimba viitorul wi-fi-ului public. Ne face placere ca free-hotspot.com este lider in aceasta directie. In timp ce unele companii si-au anuntat doar intentia de a construi retele de furnizare a unui anumit nivel de acces wi-fi gratuit, free-hotspot.com chiar pune in practica aceasta intentie. Evolutia firmei in acest an este impresionanta.”

Despre free-hotspot.com:
free-hotspot .com administreaza cea mai larga retea wireless gratuita din Europa. Compania detine in prezent peste 600 de HotSpot-uri gratuite in 14 tari europene. HotSpot-urile sunt plasate in cafenele, hoteluri, baruri, restaurante, centre comerciale, spatii de tranzit si alte localuri publice. Pentru a accesa serviciul internet wireless gratuit, utilizatorii accepta sa vizioneze o publicitate. Datorita aceastei inovatii, free-hotspot .com a primit faimosul premiu WBI (Wireless Broadband Innovation) pentru Cel mai bun produs wi-fi pentru public si a fost recunoscuta ca Best Business Idea in industria ospitaliera la Premiile Fizz in Germania anul acesta.

free-hotspot .com sprijina o comunitate activa de utilizatori si asigura serviciul internet wireless gratuit pentru mai mult de 40 000 de persoane in fiecare luna. Compania administreaza cel mai complex anuar de HotSpot-uri din domeniu, si care numara in prezent peste 12 000 de puncte de acces internet gratuite in toata lumea. Pentru mai multe detalii despre progarmul HotSpot-ului gratuit sau pentru a localiza HotSpot-ul gratuit cel mai apropiat, puteti consulta website-ul www.free-hotspot.com.

Contact presa:
Meda Casunean
Open2Europe
Phone: +33 1 55 02 14 55
e-mail: m.casunean@open2europe.com