Fast-food giant in global Wi-Fi move

McDonald's plans to offer secure wireless broadband links in stores worldwide under its alliance with iPass.

The strategy means McDonald's Wi-Fi hotspots will need to be certified as 'enterprise-ready' by iPass, a global provider of secure virtual network connections to corporate customers.

'We see iPass, and specifically the service uniformity and quality gained from their enterprise-ready service specification... as an important part of our Wi-Fi programme moving forward,' said Mark Jamison, McDonald's senior director of business development.

Silicon Valley-based iPass has already integrated select McDonald's restaurants in California, Idaho, Oregon, Illinois, Wisconsin, Washington and New York.

'As we consolidate our Wi-Fi plans in the United States, our global initiative will likely involve many Wi-Fi operators across our worldwide operations,' he said.

Outside the United States, iPass has forged agreements with the fast-food chain's Wi-Fi suppliers that have committed to becoming enterprise-ready, such as China Telecom in Shanghai and Guangdong, and Easy-Up in Taiwan.