The Passpoint system, released by the trade association in 2012, is designed to provide a cellular-like experience to seamlessly switch between any WiFi hotspots run by a provider that the user subscribes to, or which has a roaming agreement with their mobile operator or home broadband provider, without having to re-enter authentication details each time.
The system has already been deployed by providers such as Orange, SK Telecom, Boingo and Time Warner Cable, but so far this has involved pre-provisioned devices without the ability to easily register for new services.
The latest update allows on the spot sign up by allowing users that don’t have an account with a hotspot provider or its roaming partners to set up an account via their device using a secure registration process rather than being taken to a captive portal on an open network by their Internet browser, as is often the case when signing up to public WiFi networks...