JiWire Announces Wi-Fi Hotspot Directory Licensing Agreements with USA Today, PC World, and CNET Networks Plus New Mobile AvantGo Channel

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 10, 2003--

High Profile Industry Partnerships Illustrate JiWire's Critical Role In Fueling Wireless Revolution

“Wi-Fi is the first revolution in Internet access since the commercial Internet launched, and grassroots organic growth and media attention have begun to make it a household term”

JiWire, the industry's first one-stop wireless portal, today announced it has signed hotspot directory licensing agreements with USA Today, IDG's PC World and CNET Networks, Inc., some of the most successful, highly-trafficked news and technology information sites on the web. JiWire also plans to introduce a mobile hotspot directory on AvantGo(R), reaching ten million registered subscribers. Positioned to become a nexus for wireless information, JiWire offers the world's largest international hotspot directory combined with how-to advice, expert columnists, product reviews and specific industry news creating an unbiased wireless information source to guide today's technology adopters.

"Wi-Fi is the first revolution in Internet access since the commercial Internet launched, and grassroots organic growth and media attention have begun to make it a household term," said Kevin McKenzie, CEO and president of JiWire. "Our directory is the "Yellow Pages" for the wireless industry, and aggregates all things wireless into one site for consumers and industry professionals alike. It's absolutely critical to service an industry that is growing and changing as fast as the world of wireless."

USA Today, PC World, CNET Networks and AvantGo are all featuring the JiWire hotspot directory on their sites, offering their readers the information they need to wirelessly access the Internet from a variety of public venues such as airports, cafes and hotels. JiWire's mobile AvantGo channel will enable road warriors to download the latest hotspot directory updates to their handheld devices.

World-Class Hotspot Directory

JiWire's hotspot directory contains over 20,000 Wi-Fi access points in 46 countries worldwide from more than 400 individual Wireless Internet Service Providers (WISPs). Unlike other Wi-Fi directories on the web, many of the hotspots listed are personally visited and verified by JiWire staff. Available online and in a WAP format for wireless devices, the directory consists of both free and commercial service providers and hotspots, with detailed information on each including location, venue, bandwidth, environment, and other features important to users. The interactive directory is searchable by attributes such as zip code and city/state combinations. Personalization features allow users to enter their home location, save their favorite access points and comment on certain locations. Mapping functionality allows customers to plot the location of an access point, and to display walking or driving directions to or from a particular access point.

Analysts predict the current $2 billion Wi-Fi industry will expand at a compounded growth rate of 30 percent to nearly a $6 billion industry. Supporting this growth is the fact that the number of hot spots are increasingly exponentially, requiring the kind of directory and hotspot posting services JiWire is providing.

Concrete Business Model

As the trusted source for expert and unbiased wireless broadband advice, JiWire is poised to capitalize on a number of different revenue streams including:

-- Hotspot directory licensing agreements (as mentioned above)

-- Creation of a highly targeted marketing platform for wireless ISPs, hardware manufacturers, and telecom hotspot carriers -- wireless ISPs are in discussions with JiWire to purchase premium directory placements as well as expedited services in listing their hotspot locations

-- Distribution and management of third party hotspot postings across the web for carriers and wireless ISPs

-- Referral of shopping members to resellers for a fee

-- Premium content that will deliver "first mover" information to wireless industry professionals

By remaining highly focused on the wireless market, JiWire will remain nimble and better able to take advantage of developing market trends and new revenue opportunities.

Expert Online Publishing Management

JiWire was founded in March of 2003 by Kevin McKenzie, a former senior VP of Shopping Services at CNET Networks (Nasdaq: CNET). McKenzie's vast online publishing experience, as well as his prior ability to develop CNET Networks' first commerce services, helps ensure JiWire's success on both credibility and financial fronts.

"Successful online businesses utilize the Web's inherent strengths as a publishing platform, including its massive reach, relatively low infrastructure costs, and real scalability," McKenzie said. "As a platform for information delivery, JiWire will be more efficient to use for consumers, more cost effective for partners to leverage, and available 24/7 to a worldwide customer base."

In addition to McKenzie, the rest of the stellar JiWire team includes senior editor Glenn Fleishman, co-author of The Wireless Networking Starter Kit and a well-known wireless industry pundit who has run the popular Wi-Fi Networking News (www.wifinetnews.com) website for the past three years. JiWire's sales and marketing team has extensive print and online publishing, sales and marketing experience from such industry leaders as CNET Networks, Ziff-Davis, IDG and Amazon as well.

About JiWire

As the market leader in breadth and depth of wireless information, JiWire fills a glaring need for a one-stop unbiased source of information to guide today's technology adopters. In addition to offering the largest international hotspot directory detailing more than 20,000 Wi-Fi access points, JiWire also provides authoritative how-to guides, product reviews, and industry news that demystify the hype and enable mobile professionals and wireless consumers to leverage a Web without wires. JiWire is the first to aggregate an online hotspot directory, wireless industry resources, product reviews, tutorials and community services in one site. Please visit us at www.jiwire.com.