mTouche forays in Thai media advertising landscape

mTouche Technology Bhd (mTouche), said in statement yesterday that its wholly-owned subsidiary mTouche (Thailand) Co Ltd (mTouche Thailand) entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with G.I.S. Park (Thailand) Co Ltd (G.I.S.) as its solution and technology partner.

The MoU is to jointly develop, build, install and operate the SMART4 Public Phone & Wi-Fi Hub Terminal for TOT Public Company Limited (TOT), Thailand’s stated-owned telecommunications company.

TOT is now turning most of its nationwide 180,000 old public phone booths into the SMART4 Public Phone & Wi-Fi Hub Terminals. Priority will be given to an estimated 18,000 old public phone booths located in five major areas within Bangkok city and five provinces in the northern part of Thailand.

The signing ceremony was presided by Chiang Mai Municipal Council vice chairman Photchana Srisenlapanan, who together with mTouche Technology Bhd executive director Tang Boon Koon witnessed the signing by mTouche Thailand country manager Kanarath Phrommane and G.I.S. director Kanjanakorn Teachapan.

G.I.S., the media Company who was awarded the contract by TOT, will implement this modernisation plan for a minimum of 10,000 SMART4 Public Phone & Wi-Fi Hub Terminals.

The provinces include Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phitsanulok, Lampang and Sukhothai.

The country manager of mTouche, Kanarath Phrommanee said: “G.I.S. has invited mTouche to be the solution and technology partner to jointly develop, build, install and operate the SMART4 Public Phone & Wi-Fi Hub Terminal, Display Content Management and Broadcast Platform for Physical Advertising Marketing.

“The solution includes CCTV Security Cameras with 24-hours Security Monitoring System, Wi-Fi-enabled and authentication Platform and the SERA Location Based Engagement Platform for the Digital Advertising Marketing, as well as the SERAPON mobile application for general public to access tourist information, city maps, directions and services.

However, the G.I.S. chief executive officer Pisut Engpaiboon said G.I.S. believes that the collaboration will provide mTouche the opportunity to gain into the media advertising market.

“Especially the digital advertising while G.I.S. found the synergy with mTouche, where it fits perfectly into G.I.S. strategies of expanding into the digital advertising market apart from their current physical advertising through billboards and advertising display lightbox.”

Tang said, the SMART4 Public Phone & Wi-Fi Hub Terminal of 10,000 terminals is expected to eventually generate over 20 billion bahts (RM2.6 billion) in revenue.

This will be through advertising partnerships and sponsorships for both the physical and digital advertising over the life of 8-years contract which has been signed between G.I.S. and TOT.

Through close collaboration between these two companies, mTouche endeavor it will have a positive impact on the future earnings of the Group.

“The SMART4 Public Phone & Wi-Fi Hub Terminal will be the first makeover of a traditional public phone booth into a smart public phone that embraced the latest technology within the South East Asian (SEA) and/or Asian region,” said Tang.

The SMART4 Public Phone & Wi-Fi Hub Terminals will be installed with an IP56 waterproof enclosure with a height of 2.4m that will provide Free Wi-Fi Hotspot with encryption, CCTV Security Camera, 55” High Definition LCD Digital Display, 55” Physical Display Lightbox Signage, a phone allowing free calls to all TOT fixed line, and emergency call 191 directly.

Upon the successful implementation of the SMART4 Public Phone & Wi-Fi Hub Terminal in Thailand, the similar concept will be introduced to another SEA region that mTouche has physical present which includes Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Singapore, Cambodia and Hong Kong.

This infrastructure project is to create a network covering several cities with free Wi-Fi services which are part of the Thailand 4.0 initiatives.

This article first appeared in Malay Mail’s Money section.