KT (CEO Hwang Chang-Gyu, www.kt.com) announced on the 4th of this month that the world’s first ever Online to Offline service (O2O) through WiFi will commence in Incheon International airport. All visitors at Incheon International airport will receive discount e-coupons for data-roaming, currency exchange service and duty-free shops as well as other additional benefits.

O2O through WiFi is an information and location service in which a smart phone user can automatically receive both information on nearby businesses and facilities, as well as discount benefits such as e-coupons through the “MoCa Wallet” app as long as the customer is in an olleh WiFi zone.

Regardless of the wireless carrier, all android based smart phone users can download and install the MoCa Wallet app from Google Play Store. Upon initialization of the app, all available benefits and e-coupons will automatically be sent to the user via message service. A user can then click on the message, and through MoCa Wallet, will be able to view available e-coupons as well as information regarding nearby businesses and facilities. iPhone users will not receive an automatic message however, through initialization of the app, will receive the same benefits and information.

According to KT, WiFi is more widely used on an everyday basis and therefore O2O service would be more easily accessible when compared to other available services such as Beacon technology which is accessed via Bluetooth. When compared to a service such as Beacon, where a Bluetooth device must be pre-installed within the cooperating business, expansion of O2O, a service supplied through WiFi, is more feasible in that olleh WiFi coverage areas already number in excess of 170,000.

KT has made Incheon International airport a priority location so that customers leaving on vacation with their families for Family month could take advantage of O2O service. From the 4th of this month, smart phone users will automatically receive both information on nearby businesses and facilities, as well as discount e-coupons for KT data-roaming, currency exchange service from KEB bank, Shilla duty-free shops and KORAIL Airport Railroad all through the MoCa Wallet app.

KT’s director of convergence service development for marketing Choi Jeong-Yoon said, “Commercialization of the O2O service was possible through the combination of cutting-edge O2O technology coupled with the experience of being the largest WiFi service provider.” He went on to say, “We expect a very positive response from a large portion of our customers due to O2O being a service in which a wide variety of benefits can be accessed through widely available WiFi.”

With Incheon International airport being the first location, KT is planning to expand nationally by providing O2O service through all olleh WiFi zones. KT is also in the midst of increasing the number of discount benefits and coupons through joint-ventures among various companies and retailers. Additional information regarding available services as well as the use of the MoCa Wallet app can be found within the app itself.

※ Reference: O2O (Online to Offline) service. O2O is a service that creates new value by integrating the online world to the offline world. Through the MoCa Wallet app, KT provides location specific benefits that are made available through olleh WiFi zones.