iPass has announced a substantial expansion of its Wi-Fi network in Russia through a partnership with OJSC VimpelCom which operates under the “Beeline” brand. Through Beeline’s Wi-Fi footprint, iPass users will gain access to the world’s largest urban wireless network that includes the greater part of Moscow and other large cities such as St. Petersburg.

With the addition of 14,000 Beeline hotspot locations in Moscow, iPass goes further to secure seamless connectivity for business users in the major travel hubs around the world. The Beeline Wi-Fi network locations have been integrated into the iPass Global Broadband Roaming network, these new locations will add to the world’s largest active business-grade Wi-Fi network, encompassing more than 100,000 broadband venues, including over 80 of the world’s top 100 airports and over 20,000 hotels.

Remote workers now demand reliable methods of connection, wherever their travels may take them. Part of the largest metropolitan Wi-Fi network in the world, Beeline hotspots can be accessed in hotels, cafés, cinemas, shopping centers and other retail locations. iPass users will also get access through Beeline hotspots at Moscow’s Domodedovo International Airport, a top 100 airport handling over 15 million passengers a year.

iPass customers will be able to log onto the Internet and access critical corporate data at Beeline hotspot locations via the iPassConnect? mobility manager software. This helps businesses save money by avoiding the expense of Wi-Fi hotspot vouchers or international data roaming charges. Enterprise-grade mobility management also ensures adherence to security policies and centralized control of remote access for IT departments.

“Beeline’s partnership with iPass will open up our footprint to business users within Russia as well as international travellers who need secure and reliable Wi-Fi access when they travel to this part of the world,” said Diana Samoshkina, head of residential marketing at Beeline.

As with all of iPass’ roaming partner networks, before becoming fully integrated, the Beeline hotspot network will complete the iPass Enterprise Ready certification process. This involves testing the hotspots for high availability as well as interoperability with policy and security tools, including a comprehensive range of virtual private networks, personal firewalls and anti-virus software packages.

“Having this kind of partnership in Russia has always been a key consideration for iPass with more and more individuals conducting business in major Russian metropolitan areas including Moscow and St. Petersburg,” commented Mike Moore, vice president of business development, iPass. “We are very pleased that we can now offer iPass users access to the Beeline network to stay connected and productive across Russia and the CIS.”
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