Dimension Data’s Internet Solutions (IS) has increased its shareholding in Wi-Fi provider AlwaysOn from 51% to 100% for an undisclosed sum, IS announced on Thursday.

IS acquired its original 51% stake in AlwaysOn, which has hotspots in 1 400 locations in South Africa, in 2009. AlwaysOn also offers roaming capabilities in 110 countries and more than a million hotspots. The business will continue to trade and operate under the AlwaysOn brand.

“The demand for Wi-Fi continues to grow at an extraordinary rate, brought about by the growth of a global society that expects to be always connected anytime, anywhere,” said IS chief solutions officer Sean Nourse in a statement.

“For example in the US, Wi-Fi connections account for more than 37% of digital traffic over mobile phones. And about 90% of Internet access from tablets is done via Wi-Fi, not through a 3G or 4G network. There is also an increase in demand for cloud-based services and other high data-consuming functions at both the business and consumer levels.” — © 2014 NewsCentral Media