AT&T to Buy Hotspot Vendor Wayport

HDM Breaking News, November 6, 2008

Dallas-based AT&T Corp. has agreed to acquire Wayport Inc., an Irving, Texas-based vendor of Wi-Fi hotspots, for $275 million.

Wayport is best known for its services to the hospitality industry, particularly hotels and McDonalds restaurants. It also has such clients as airports and Barnes & Noble bookstores.

The company entered the health care industry in early 2007 when it exhibited at the giant annual HIMSS Conference. Clients it has signed since then include HealthSouth Corp. and Surgical Care Affiliates Inc. in Birmingham, Ala.; Sun Healthcare Group in Irvine, Calif.; Berkshire Health Systems in Pittsfield, Mass.; and Cooper Health System in Camden, N.J.

Wayport also presently provides back-office management of AT&T's Wi-Fi hot spots. Consequently, the acquisition expands AT&T's Wi-Fi capabilities and brings management of the infrastructure completely under AT&T management.

The vendors expect the acquisition to close as early as this quarter. More information is available at wayport.com and att.com.

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