Pronto, D-Link partner for hot spot service

Pronto Networks and D-Link today said they would team up to provide a billing and management program for public venues interested in launching their own hot spots.

Using Pronto’s back-office systems and D-Link’s Wi-Fi gear, the program allows any business or organization using D-Link’s DSA-3100 Wi-Fi gateway to launch a paid network hotspot. D-Link is shipping all of its new public/private gateways with Pronto’s management software installed and for existing customers, making the functionality available with a firmware update.

Pronto director of product management Nandu Desai said many businesses and venues such as coffee shops, libraries, book stores and privately owned hotels all see opportunities in offering Wi-Fi to their patrons for free or for a reduced cost but don’t have the money, time and expertise to implement and manage a hot spot on their premises. Pronto and D-Link’s Airspot Wireless Service provide a fully integrated and automated back-office system that those business owners can implement right out of the box.

While D-Link is participating in the program to generate more sales of its Wi-Fi infrastructure, Pronto will charge fees for the use of its back-office systems. If a business charged standard prices such as $2.95 an hour or $18.95 for monthly service, only about 10% of those revenues would be back to Pronto. Or if a business wanted to offer Wi-Fi free of charge to its customers as a way of generating more business, Pronto would charge monthly processing fees to manage the connections.