Drivers who use Wi-Fi hookups to get on the Internet can add one more – or more accurately, 1,500 – hot spots to their list of where they can get the service.

SBC Communications, a regional phone and wireless company, announced March 30 it planned to install the wireless high-speed Internet access service in 1,500 UPS Stores nationwide by the end of this year. Eventually, all of the 3,300 UPS Stores nationwide will have the service, and SBC plans to have 5,000 hot spots connected to UPS locations by 2007. Those would be part of a network of more than 20,000 SBC hot spots.

The hot spots are part of SBC’s FreedomLink service package. Monthly memberships in the service are available for $19.95 and provide unlimited access to all FreedomLink hot spots. Day-long walk-up access can be purchased for $7.95.

Many of the UPS locations are former Mail Boxes Etc. stores.