Smartac Group China Holdings Limited (“Smartac Group” or the “Company”, together with its subsidiaries, the “Group”, stock code: 395) announces that its wholly-owned subsidiary Solomedia Asia Limited (“Solomedia Asia”) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) with Hutchison Global Communications Limited (HGC), the fixed-line division of Hutchison Telecommunications Hong Kong Holdings Limited regarding the collaboration to research on and establish “Smart Travel Cloud – Hong Kong Stop”, a mobile internet service that will enable visitors to receive travel and shopping information in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong is Smartac Group’s first stop to develop its “Smart Travel Cloud” in an overseas market, aiming to resolve the problems encountered by mainland travellers regarding the use of Wi-Fi networks while travelling abroad. By integrating with an Online to Offline (O2O) business model, “Smart Travel Cloud” will provide visitors with real-time travel and shopping information, and will help drive traffic and users to traditional offline businesses.
Pursuant to the MOU, HGC will leverage its optical fibre network and Wi-Fi network in Hong Kong to provide visitors with stable and reliable Wi-Fi internet access. Solomedia Asia will deploy its innovative technology of O2O big data platform (combining Wi-Fi, bluetooth Beacon, smart interactive screen) to provide visitors with personalised and interactive information for hassle-free travel abroad.
Solomedia Asia and HGC intend to research on the introduction of mobile commerce, mobile payment platform, and commercial smart data platform, to popularise O2O mobile commerce and introduce a new business model to the retail, hotel and other tourism-related service industries in Hong Kong. Meanwhile, both parties will further carry out feasibility study and explore opportunities to establish and operate a big data platform for Hong Kong travelling.
Jason Kwan, Executive Director of Smartac Group, commented: “The collaboration on establishing ‘Smart Travel Cloud’ via a Wi-Fi network will assist Hong Kong retail and tourism industries to effectively connect with and serve the visitors and consumers in Hong Kong. We are glad to join hands with HGC, the largest Wi-Fi service provider in Hong Kong1, in initialising ‘Internet + Tourist Consumption’. Such collaboration will incorporate the strength of each party to seize development opportunities in mobile internet services. This also caters to the current global trend of transitioning to the big data era and adds impetus to Hong Kong tourism and retail industry.”
Jennifer Tan, Chief Operating Officer of HTHKH, said: “HGC is the largest Wi-Fi service provider in Hong Kong1. We are pleased to work with Smartac Group and are going to provide its subsidiary Solomedia Asia high-speed wireless internet services in order to develop ‘Smart Travel Cloud’ services in Hong Kong. Our extensive Wi-Fi network provides over 16,000 hotspots in large shopping arcades, at coffee shop chains, fast food outlets, popular restaurants, commercial buildings, large residential estates, tertiary institutions and car parks. This will enable ‘Smart Travel Cloud’ users to obtain the latest travel information anytime, anywhere in Hong Kong.”