Big Mac combo and supersize the Wi-Fi, please

DALLAS, (April 13, 2004) — The Golden Arches will become the newest Wi-Fi hotspot as McDonald’s Corp. will begin installing wireless Internet service in dining rooms and drive-through windows at several thousand of its U.S. restaurants.

Wi-Fi “hotspots” communicate with a wireless device over a wireless LAN (local area network), enabling business travelers and truckers to access the Internet from public locations such as restaurants, truck rest stops, hotels, and other commercial properties.

McDonald’s has been testing Wi-Fi at about 300 restaurants in the San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago, and New York areas for the past nine months using Wayport Inc., Toshiba, and Cometa Networks Inc. A McDonald’s spokesperson said the company hopes to outfit 6,000 restaurants — nearly half its U.S. locations — by the end of the year.

The fast-food giant will charge $2.95 US for two hours of connectivity and may continue some of its pilot promotions, such as free connections for buying an “extra value meal.” The company is following the lead of Starbucks, which offers Wi-Fi in many of its coffee shops.

Meanwhile, Canada’s national wireless companies announced last month they have signed an inter-carrier agreement that establishes common standards for roaming and interoperability of the public Wi-Fi hotspots they operate.

The carriers — Bell Mobility, Microcell Solutions (Fido), Rogers AT&T Wireless, and TELUS Mobility — have created a common brand identifier for Wi-Fi hotspots which will create an identical, browser-based login area and connection methods, ensuring a consistent experience in all locations.

— from Associated Press