Sprint, AT&T Wireless announce Wi-Fi agreement

The Deal announced Monday will allow Sprint PCS customers to use AT&T Wireless' Wi-Fi network at Denver International, Philadelphia International and Raleigh-Durham International airports. AT&T Wireless customers will be able to use Sprint's Wi-Fi network at Kansas City International and Salt Lake City International airports.The deal between Redmond, Wash.-based AT&T Wireless and Overland Park, Kan.-based Sprint allows the companies' respective Wi-Fi customers to "roam" using their existing accounts.

"We have signed a number of roaming deals in WLAN. One company is selected to run the service in a specific location/venue so you need to have a roaming," says Wes Dittmer, Sprint's general manager of WLAN services. "We have aggregated a Wi-Fi footprint of more than 2,200 hot spots across the U.S. and expect to have greater than 10,000 by the end of 2004."

Shares of Sprint PCS were up 11 cents to close at $9.50 on the New York Stock Exchange where shares of Sprint's wireline company, FON, were up 23 cents to close at $18.98 and AT&T Wireless were up 4 cents to close at $13.57.

This is not the first time AT&T Wireless has turned to another carrier to expand its Wi-Fi footprint. In February, the carrier signed a reciprocal roaming agreement with T-Mobile USA. The deal was designed to give AT&T Wireless the ability to able to offer Wi-Fi access to its customers in the San Francisco International Airport, while T-Mobile will be able to offer its customers access in Denver International Airport and Philadelphia International.