UK WiMax company buys Wi-Fi roaming firm

WiMax operator Freedom4 has bought a UK Wi-Fi roaming services provider called Bozii.

Bozii's service — soon to be renamed Freedom4 Wi-Fi — will give Freedom4's customers access to 40,000 hotspots in the UK and internationally, the companies said on Tuesday. Freedom4 has also signed new reseller deals in the Manchester and Warwick areas.

Freedom4, which used to be Pipex Wireless, is a significant player in the UK's burgeoning WiMax industry. It currently offers "fixed WiMax" as an SDSL substitute to businesses in some areas but, if spectrum becomes available in upcoming Ofcom auctions, it expects to move into the "mobile WiMax" market as well.

The reseller agreements announced on Tuesday include Mumtel in Manchester, as well as Konnex networks in Warwick. Freedom4 already has a reseller deal with ConnectMK in Milton Keynes and sells its service through Vialtus — formerly known as Pipex Business.