The latest announcement out of Little Rock, Ark.'s Alltel is the addition of  Wi-Fi to its lineup. Today, the fifth largest carrier launched Alltel Wi-Fi, powered by Boingo Wireless, which allows subscribers to gain laptop access to hotspots throughout North and South America.

The operator is offering its EV-DO customers the option to bundle in Wi-Fi service for an added $9.99 a month to its $60 Wireless Internet Plan. For customers on less expensive voice and data plans, the Wi-Fi option can be added for $22 a month. Alltel is also offering pre-paid Wi-Fi cards for $19.99 per week or $9.99 per day.

According to David Maddox, Alltel's director of product marketing, Wi-Fi is an excellent complement for the company's existing portfolio of wireless Internet solutions and is a good fit with Alltel's strategy to provide customers with more ways to connect wirelessly to the Internet, e-mail, or corporate intranet.