Surfing fast and secure with CONNECT App

09-02-2017 Thorben Stange

The app will automatically switch between hotspots and mobile networks in a smart, secure and simple manner – and in line with the individual customer's preferences.

CONNECT App is already displayed at IFA 2017. The market launch in Germany will follow end of November.

2G, 3G, 4G, Deutsche Telekom or FON hotspots, private or public WiFi networks – there are many different ways for smartphones and tablets to connect to the Internet. This broad range of options means it is not always easy for users to find the connection that is best for them. Most users don't really care how they connect to the Internet. At the end of the day, what they choose is determined by the price and two other criteria: the transmission speed and, especially when using public networks, how secure the connection is. Manually changing connections is a drag and doesn't always achieve the desired result, namely a faster connection. This is where the CONNECT app can help.

Machine learning for smart network control

Thanks to machine learning, the CONNECT app knows how good the available connections are and can decide whether it's worthwhile, for instance, to switch from the mobile network to a hotspot. Once it has been installed and configured, the app runs in the background. Always in search of the ideal connection, it switches automatically between WiFi and the mobile network without any interruptions to the service. The customer remains in control at all times. When configuring the app, users can choose between "Best connection" and "WiFi preferred." If "Best connection" is selected, the app automatically opts for the best available WiFi or mobile network connection, ensuring the user the highest speed at any given point in time. Users can also choose up to what level of data volume consumption the app should use the "Best connection" profile. If "WiFi preferred" is selected, WiFi networks are always given preference, provided their transmission quality is good. That helps conserve data volume. The ability to choose between these two profiles grants customers full control over their costs and Internet speeds.

The CONNECT app ensures Deutsche Telekom customers not only fast access to the Internet, but also highly secure connections. An integrated VPN solution encrypts data when using WiFi networks, making for a high degree of data privacy and surfing without worries. VPN protection is automatically activated with public hotspots. If desired, the encryption function can be activated for all other WiFi connections or turned off altogether. The best thing is that VPN encryption works with all the WiFi networks the terminal connects to – regardless of whether the function is activated via the settings of the app or the terminal itself.

Available in app stores in Germany from late November

Back in February 2017, Deutsche Telekom presented a forerunner of the CONNECT app at the Mobile World Congress under the working title Seamless Connectivity app[ST1] . The pilot phase in Germany that was announced at that time has now been completed, and the experience gained is feeding into ongoing development and refinement of the app to ready it for market launch in late November, at which time the CONNECT app will replace the current Online Manager app.

Initially, the app will be able to access not only the mobile network, but also Deutsche Telekom's two million HotSpots across Germany. To do so, customers will need to have a Deutsche Telekom HotSpot flat rate, which forms an integral part of the current MagentaMobil rate plans. For members of the WLAN TO GO community, the app also manages the more than 20 million FON hotspots worldwide. It is planned to expand the service to include additional WiFi networks, such as those of hotel and coffee shop chains.