iPass customers traveling to- or working in- India can now derive benefits from VSNL's addition of over 350 Tata Indicom Wi-Fi hotspots to the iPass Global Broadband Roaming Network.

With this move, iPass customers will now get added coverage. And VSNL (Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited) partner hotels, cafes, etc, that have deployed VSNL Wi-Fi services on their premises will gain from increased roaming usage.

Meanwhile, Tata Indicom Wi-Fi hotspot locations include: major domestic and international airports, premium hotels, railway stations, educational institutions, sports stadia, hospitals, restaurants, coffee shop chains, and retail stores. The key Wi-Fi hotspot locations cover: the Taj Hotels Group, Le Meridien, Cafe Coffee Day, Barista, Manipal University, and Wockhardt.

Speaking on the occasion, Shankar Prasad, president (Retail Business Unit) of VSNL, said that with over 350 hotspots currently, VSNL has drawn up plans this year to further enhance its footprint to over 1,000 Wi-Fi hotspots.

Chee Leng Loy, managing director (Asia) of iPass, said that with many iPass customers viewing India as a critical business hub, this partnership means they can travel to the subcontinent, confident in the knowledge that they will find the same high levels of iPass service that they've grown used to in their home countries.

VSNL claims that before being integrated into the iPass Global Roaming Network, the Tata Indicom Wi-Fi access points went through a rigorous iPass Enterprise Ready certification process that involved testing the hotspots for reliability and quality of services.

VSNL is the only Indian operator to be a member of the Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA), and has a partnership with iPass for international Wi-Fi roaming in the country.