Boingo Wireless

Company name: Boingo Wireless
Where it's based: Santa Monica, Calif.
When it was founded: 2001
What year it was a Fierce 15: 2003
Website: www.boingo.com

Why it was a Fierce 15: Boingo was selected because of its ability to resell wireless Internet access across the country by patching together a network of existing hotspots. Boingo also made it easy for coffee shop owners and other venue operators to deploy their own hotspots and join the Boingo Network. Click here for more.

What has happened since it was awarded the Fierce 15: Boingo Wireless is still going strong. The company has compiled a network of more than 100,000 hotspots worldwide, including those in airports, hotel chains, cafes and even McDonald's restaurants. In June 2006, Boingo acquired Concourse Communications, which gave it access to neutral-hosted networks in 12 airports. In addition, the company has inked deals with major cable, wireless and wireline providers around the world such as EarthLink, Fiberlink, Orange France, Skype, Sprint Nextel and Verizon, thereby giving subscribers of these carriers access to the Boingo hotspot network.