Wi-Fi player finds iPhone good for business


2 Feb 2009

Wi-Fi service provider BitBuzz has reported a 64pc increase in business over last year, with some 143,000 registered users. iPhone users were shown to account for the largest share of handheld devices on its network.

In a trading update, BitBuzz today revealed that its Wi-Fi hotspot network has grown from 156 in 2007 to 180 in 2008.

Highlights of the year include a deal to provide O2’s iPhone customers with free access to its hotspots since July.

The company also signed a €200,000 deal with budget hotel chain Travelodge to provide Wi-Fi services to its 11 hotels in Ireland.

The company, as well as being announced Wi-Fi partner to the Irish Rugby team, also signed a three-year contract with the Fitzwilliam Hotel Group.

Other hotel deals include the completion of an upgrade to the Wi-Fi internet service at the Radisson SAS Hotel & Spa Galway.

During the year, the company also launched two new subscription products to reduce costs for businesses, entitled BitBuzz Pro and BitBuzz Go.

“We are very pleased with the scale of development across the business in 2008, which demonstrates a marked increase on the previous year,” said Shane Deasy, managing director of Bitbuzz.

“Our position as Ireland’s leading Wi-Fi service provider has been strengthened because of our ethos of providing our customers with greater freedom, flexibility and outstanding value for money.”

By John Kennedy