|
November 24, 2009
|
|
Customers at McDonald’s branches around Seoul will be able to use KT’s wireless Internet service, Nespot, for free starting in mid-December under a deal between the telecom company and Hyundai Card. The move is part of a larger effort by KT, Korea’s largest Internet operator and second-biggest mobile operator, to launch “sponsored access” projects. As part of these projects, specific company sponsors free wireless Internet access in exchange for the ability to advertise its products and services on the main access screen users see when they first log on in the designated spots. “Sponsored access service is a new paradigm in media advertisement, in which sponsor companies will benefit by exposing their ads to users and also serve customers by providing free access to our wireless Internet service,” said an official at KT. The newest service under this effort will be available to customers at 75 McDonald’s branches in Seoul. Users simply need a laptop computer with wireless LAN capabilities to access the Web. KT struck a similar deal with Google in January to provide Nespot service for customers in Starbucks branches throughout the nation. The telecom provider also cemented an agreement with Emirates airlines of Dubai to provide free Internet access in Korea’s four major airports: Incheon, Gimpo, Gimhae and Jeju. The deal ends this month. Meanwhile, KT said it received 15,000 preorder requests for the i-Phone yesterday on its Web site, http://phonestore.show.co.kr. The company plans to launch the popular Apple device here on Saturday. Yesterday was the first day of the preorder period. Tallies from KT’s offline stores were not included. With the upcoming launch, KT plans to host an event Saturday for 1,000 customers who preordered. By Cho Jae-eun [jainnie@joongang.co.kr] |
|
