News
Issue #2003 - 30 (November 2003)
(Updated Nov. 26, 2003)

MARKET OUTLOOK & TRENDS

University of Florida Validates Value of Mobile Coupons with Air2Web's Help - USF Mobile Coupon Subscribers Jumps 700% - Air2Web Powers Mobile Coupons for Retailers Who Receive 10 to 20% Redemption Rates 

Atlanta and Tampa. November, 2003: The number of subscribers to the University of South Florida's (USF) Wireless Coupon and Information Service, MoBull Messenger, has grown 700% since September 2002. USF is adding 10 new subscribers a day and has nearly 6500 students and staff signed up for what
is one of the country's first mobile coupon services. Over 100 retailers have participated including Gray's Bookstore, Bananna Joe's, Schwinn Cycle Shop, and many of the leading pizza chains, clubs and retail outlets. 

Using Air2Web's wireless platform, MoBull Messenger enables USF's students, faculty, staff, alumni and Tampa Bay residents to receive discount coupons from area restaurants, sporting events, nightclubs, and retail stores to their cell phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), pagers, and email addresses. Subscribers can also sign up for real-time campus information updates including class meeting changes, school closings, emergency alerts, and payment deadline reminders.

Over 100 vendors have registered to advertise through MoBull Messenger including restaurants, clothing stores, bike shops, nightclubs and hair salons. Participating retailers are seeing redemption rates averaging between 10 and 20% and are paying a minimum of $10 for each permissions-based marketing message. 

One of the vendors, Tampa radio station Clear Channel 93.3 FM, promoted a contest through MoBull Messenger to which the response was so great that they had to expand the event. "MoBull Messenger allows me to promote to 93.3WFLZ's Clear Channel's target audience - 18-34yr olds at a moment's notice and our promotional efforts definitely see results due to using MoBull Messenger's service," said Sara
Winn-Nasca, Promotions Director, 93.3WFLZ.

Beverage Castle, a popular Tampa Bay convenient store, has also experienced positive results from the wireless coupon service. "We had 50 new cars come through our drive thru due to the contest we had with MoBull, " said Atul Kamanna, owner of Beverage Castle.

And USF is not just seeing good results with the coupon side of their service. The information side is also experiencing success. Recently, Charles O'Brien, an assistant professor at USF, sent out a MoBull alert to his students that his class would not be in session on a specific day and time. According to O'Brien, MoBull Messenger worked great. All of his students received the wireless alert that his class would be canceled so no one showed up to an empty classroom. USF is also moving forward with connecting the university's core administrative systems with MoBull Messenger so that they can provide another information path to their students, faculty and staff. 

" We are really pleased with the number of subscribers and vendors we have added to the MoBull Messenger service and the return our retailers are seeing," said Michele Joel, Marketing Manager for USF's IT department. "Traditionally, most direct marketing vehicles only see a 2% return, at best. The fact that our wireless coupons are being redeemed at a rate between 10 and 20% is tremendous. And the word is getting around. As new retailers move into the Tampa area, they are contacting us because they've heard about our success." 

MoBull Messenger was developed by the USF IT Division and uses the Air2Web Wireless Platform to send SMS Text messages instantly to any wireless device.

About Air2Web
Air2Web's technology includes wireless email and instant messaging solutions, as well as the ability to wirelessly enable CRM, ERP, SFA, and Field Force Automation applications and multimedia content to employees and consumers. 

For more information about Air2Web, please visit http://www.air2web.com

MobileInfo Comments and Advisory: The mobile coupon pilot by Air2Web at the University of South Florida is very interesting. It seems to suggest that in spite of public concerns about wireless spam and privacy,  the university crowd does not care about these issues so long as they can save some money. If mobile coupons give definite value to young adults in terms of savings, they might bite it. The trick is in control of the marketing messages.

Note: This news release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and section 21E of Securities Exchange act of 1934 in USA. Similar provisions exist in other countries. There is no assurance that the stipulated plans of vendors will be implemented. MobileInfo does not warrant the authenticity of the information. Readers should take appropriate caution in developing plans utilizing these products, services and technology architectures.  All trademarks used in this summary are the property of their respective owners.