Coca-Cola offers free WiFi from coolers in South Africa
The Coca-Cola Co.
Coca-Cola South Africa, bottling partner Coca-Cola Fortune and BT Global Services teamed to put WiFi on Coca-Cola machines to give free internet access to impoverished communities in South Africa.
Coca-Cola South Africa, bottling partner Coca-Cola Fortune and BT Global Services teamed to put WiFi on Coca-Cola machines to give free internet access to impoverished communities in South Africa.
Atlanta-based Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO) is installing the coolers. BT is providing design and support, connectivity and internet access, as well as business training.
The pilot project was launched in two key areas in Umtata in the Eastern Cape province and Nelspruit in the Mpumalanga province.
The sites were picked for their accessibility to maximize usage of technology by the locals. The first site is Sasol Integrated Energy Centre (SIEC) in Qunu, Umtata. This is a popular spot for locals and is in close proximity to a taxi rank, attracting large numbers of people.
The second site is at Thokozane Fast Food situated in Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga.
Both outlets are near shopping centers and schools, allowing members of the communities to combine their day-to-day activities with the opportunity to access the internet for business and educational purposes. Internet access is offered for free via WiFi, without any purchase requirement of any kind and is accessible for the duration of the time spent at the outlets.
“We believe that by giving them access to free WiFi we will enable students and school children in the area to increase their knowledge through research while also giving entrepreneurs and small business owners in the community the opportunity to manage some of their business aspects online,” says David Visser, Chief Information Officer of Coca-Cola South Africa.
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