RovAir Allows Users to Rent Net Data Cards By the Day
By KELLY BOQUARD
For techie travelers, finding a Wi-Fi provider or spending $60 or more for a monthly wireless service can be a hassle.
RovAir offers its customers a 24-hour “day pass” wireless mobile broadband data card that plugs into laptops. This day pass provides a computer user with Internet access wherever cell phone reception is available.
Similar to a prepaid cell phone, RovAir’s data card is convenient for frequent Internet users who may just need to log on for a few hours rather than bother with an annual contract and monthly fees from a cell phone company. Most computer users already pay for an Internet service at home, so they don’t want to pay for a wireless contract.
Tom Dolan, CEO of RovAir Inc., says he got the idea for the day pass “because I needed it. I went on vacation last summer and I rented a home, and the home didn’t have Wi-Fi. My alternative was to go to a cafe. I bought a data card, got into a two-year contract and a few days later I couldn’t figure out why.”
RovAir works with cell phone services such as Verizon and Sprint so users aren’t confined to one location that provides a Wi-Fi connection such as an airport, hotel or coffee shop. This gadget makes traveling easier and takes high-speed telecommunication to a new level.
“Why not give a user a better choice to go mobile,” Dolan says.
“We saw a great opportunity in the hotel industry. You might use it for an hour in the morning and you pay $10 for about two hours of Internet. We’re allowing you 24-hour access whether you’re in your room or not in your room.”
The process is easy — a user simply places an order on the company Web site, www.rovair.com, or over the phone.
RovAir then ships the data card to the customer with an installation CD and instructions. After installing the software in their laptop, users can plug in the data card for Wi-Fi service. When finished with the card, users can send it back in the prepaid envelope provided by RovAir.
Based in the Boston area, RovAir Inc. was formed in October 2007 by a group of entrepreneurs who all shared the same problem and the same vision: They wanted to create an easy Internet service for leisure or business travelers with no strings attached.
Members of the RovAir team are Dolan, Chris Angelou, Aaron Callaway, Mark Schenkel and Matt Walsh. Walsh graduated from St. Bonaventure University with a bachelor’s degree in communications.
“It took us about six months of research to put this in place and make sure we have a viable business model,” Dolan said. “We launched our Web site on Feb. 21. On March 14, we launched a Google AdWords campaign. It has driven our business from $0 in March to well in the thousands in just a few months.”
According to Dolan, RovAir is aiming to be established nationally in retail stores and businesses.
He says the company would eventually like to move to a kiosk model where customers would be able to go to a kiosk at any city that has mass transit to rent a one-day pass and then drop the card off the next morning.
The daily cost depends on how long a user needs the card, but there is a three-day minimum use. Cards typically cost from $5.95 to $14.95 per day.
The feedback on these day passes has been positive. The company is gaining popularity because it is the first to offer this type of a service.
RovAir gives users a new alternative without a contract and can end up saving them some cash.
Originally published by Special to The News.
(c) 2008 Buffalo News. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.