System and method for wide area wireless connectivity to the internet

A non-transitory computer readable medium containing instructions for execution by a computer to carry out a method, the method comprising:

• receiving at a centralized authentication server, which manages a process of authenticating users for a plurality of authentication systems and is located remotely from any one of the plurality of authentication systems, an access request for a wireless user device of a user to obtain Internet access through a Wi-Fi system, wherein the centralized authentication server includes information of a plurality of authentication databases from which users may be authenticated, each of the plurality of authentication databases corresponding to a different communication service and to a different authentication system of the plurality of authentication systems, and wherein the information includes identification of a first protocol required for communication with a first authentication database of the plurality of authentication databases and identification of a second protocol required for communicating with a second authentication database of the plurality of authentication databases, and wherein the second protocol is different from the first protocol;
• transmitting an authentication request from the centralized authentication server to at least one of the first authentication database of the plurality of authentication databases using the first protocol;
• and
• permitting the user access to the Internet through the Wi-Fi system by the wireless device when an indication of authentication is received from at least the first authentication database.

A system comprising:

• a centralized authentication server managing a process of authenticating users for a plurality of authentication systems and located remotely from any one of the plurality of authentication systems configured to:
• receive an access request for a wireless device of a user to obtain Internet access through a Wi-Fi system, wherein the centralized authentication server includes information of a plurality of authentication databases from which users may be authenticated, each of the plurality of authentication databases corresponding to a different communication service and to a different authentication system of the plurality of authentication systems, and wherein the information includes identification of a first protocol required for communication with a first authentication database of the plurality of authentication databases, and identification of a second protocol required for communication with a second authentication database of the plurality of authentication databases, and wherein the second protocol is different from the first protocol;
• issue an authentication request for the access request from the centralized authentication server to the first authentication database of the plurality of authentication databases using the first protocol;
• and
• send the access command to the hotspot venue if the user is authenticated;
• a hotspot venue configured to redirect an access request generated by a wireless device to the centralized authentication server, and to permit the user to access the Internet in response to a receipt of an access command from the centralized authentication server;
• and
• the first authentication database configured to receive the authentication request using the first protocol, and to respond to the centralized authentication server by indicating whether the access request is permitted.