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SONORA, California, October, 2005 - Front Porch,
Inc., a global provider of online subscriber communications,
announced that it is in its second year of offering
messaging-enabled free wireless Internet access in
Sonora, CA. Front Porch started the free service
with online messaging features for HotSpot owners
and then expanded it to a hot zone covering most
of the downtown shopping district and county government
buildings.
Front Porch adapted its messaging technology, which
has been used by ISPs around the world since 1999,
to the WiFi environment. The technology enables
network providers and HotSpots to deliver customized
messages to users’ web browsers
anytime they are surfing the Internet, regardless of users’ software or
the sites they are viewing.
“Our solutions bring new revenue to free or
paid wireless hotspots to help subsidize their Internet
costs and offer a cost-effective customer service
and marketing tool to help them reach their customers,”
said Zach Britton, Front Porch’s CEO. “Front
Porch’s technology was deployed in Internet
cafes during the 2004 Athens Summer Olympics and
was used to promote Olympic event ticket sales and
products and services from international advertisers,” said
Britton. “Our technology is being used by hot
spots in the U.S., the United Kingdom and France.”
With the Sonora hot zone, local business have a
new method to market online to local prospects in
the area. “We bring prospects to them, regardless
of which sites users are surfing on the Internet,” said
Raul Vaughn, Director of Strategic Services at Front
Porch. “Sonora hot zone users start each session
by accepting our terms of service and are redirected
to a portal page with local information. Users then
receive rotating community messages and promotions
from local businesses. It’s a great way to
get their attention and offer users a valuable service.”
Front Porch’s hot zone solution helps promote
a business-friendly downtown by helping visitors
and tourists stay connected and by helping local
business promote their products and services online
to customers in their area. The hot zone also has
potential to be used for emergency broadcasts in
cases of emergencies, fire or Amber alerts. “WiFi
hot zones promote the common good by bringing great
technology and high speed internet access to our
community,” said Greg Applegate, Sonora City
Administrator. “Many large cities and municipalities
are just now beginning to offer wireless Internet
access similar to what we already have here in Sonora.”
About Front Porch -- Front Porch, a global Internet
services company founded in 1998, provides innovative
solutions for Internet Service Providers to increase
revenue, reduce customer service costs, and improve
communications with online subscribers. The Front
Porch Subscriber Communications Platform offers web-based
Customer Service Messaging, Online Advertising, Subscriber
Redirection, Security Services, and a suite of Network
and Subscriber Reports. |
