Boingo Wireless (http://www.boingo.com) says iPad owners will be able to choose between Wi-Fi access plans based on hourly credits or a monthly subscription to connect to its global network of 125,000 Wi-Fi hotspots as soon as they buy their tablet.

“The iPad may be a new product, but it’s one with a familiar need: super-fast Internet in places where you’re likely to connect -- coffee shops, restaurants, hotels, airports,” says Dave Hagan, president and CEO for Boingo Wireless. “Right out of the gate, iPad users will have the ability to access Boingo Wi-Fi as a convenient and affordable alternative or add-on to 3G Internet access, especially for the first wave of users for whom Wi-Fi is the only connection choice.”

Boingo boasts nearly 30,000 hotspots in North America and more than 125,000 hotspots around the world. The company offers Boingo Mobile, a US$7.95 per month subscription that gives the user unlimited Wi-Fi access worldwide. Those who only occasionally venture out into the world of public Wi-Fi may be better served by Boingo Wi-Fi Credits, which allows users to buy one-hour Wi-Fi credits when and where they need them, using their iTunes account to pay for the access. Boingo Wi-Fi Credits is a new option for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch users.

Consumers can purchase the $1.99 Wi-Fi credits in advance or at the time of connect by confirming the purchase using their iTunes account log-in. The credits can be redeemed for 60 consecutive minutes of Wi-Fi access at a single Boingo hotspot, and can be used at any Boingo hotspot.