HP has announced a partnership with iPass to give customers buying new tablet and notebook customers a year of free access to the company’s network of Wi-Fi hotspots.
In Australia, iPass operates Wi-Fi hotspots mainly in hotels in capital cities, but in the US they operate in several fast food and coffee chains. For comparison, we have a little over 50 hotspots each in Sydney and Melbourne, while New York has around 3,000 and London has over 6,000.
If you travel overseas – or like hanging out in hotel lobbies – this could be a good deal for you, and there’s nothing stopping iPass expanding its local offerings. Check out their hotspot finder.
Products with this option will ship this month. HP says that commercial and consumer tablets and notebooks with Windows 8.1 and Android 4.2.2+ will qualify for the deal at first, and will be available this month. It seems that customer who purchase an eligible product will be able to sign up to redeem the offer with iPass.
The company also says they’ll add some Windows 7 devices and may add ChromeOS devices in “subsequent months”.
Shots have now been fired in the free-wi-fi-with-purchase war. Now we’re just waiting for someone to partner up with Telstra‘s Wi-Fi Community service.
Does a year of free Wi-Fi sway your purchasing decision? Tell us in the comments!
i recently brought a HP laptop with the bonus year free ipass. i have activated it but unable to use it due to living in a small country town in Western Australia. Is there anyway to transfer the ipass to my mobile phone or is there another way to be able to access the ipass in remote country areas.?