Wanadoo Partners With Time Group For Distribution Deal
Wanadoo, the UK’s largest internet service provider, has secured a long-running distribution deal with computer manufacturer and retailer Time Group.
The three-year deal will see Wanadoo, which recently rebranded from Freeserve, become Time Group’s exclusive internet provider, meaning that computers bought from the company’s 140 UK retail outlets and direct channels will come pre-loaded with its dial-up internet service.
Time Group will also promote Wanadoo’s broadband services across its portfolio of online sites and will distribute the ISP’s products through its retail arm, The Computer Shop, which is one of the UK’s leading high-street PC retailers.
The agreement will see Time become one of Wanadoo’s first retail partners to sell its new Livebox, which will provide wireless broadband access when it launches next month. In the future the new home gateway will also offer voice services and television on demand (see Wanadoo To Offer Customers TV Content On Demand).
Commenting on the distribution deal, Wanadoo’s director of partner marketing, Duncan Beard said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Time Group. It provides Wanadoo with a hugely relevant customer base, as we seek to grow our broadband customer base and launch new services over the coming months.”
Wanadoo’s existing broadband distribution deal with Dixons Group comes to an end next February when rival internet service provider AOL takes over as the electrical retailer’s exclusive partner in a deal which is thought to be worth around £100 million (see AOL Signs Major Internet Marketing Deal With Dixons).
Its narrowband distribution deal with Currys and Dixons ended earlier this year. However, Wanadoo recently signed a deal to deal to promote its range of internet services in more than 85 Maplin Electronics stores across the country. It also has deals with Orange, Argos and Texaco.
Wanadoo recently ended its search for a new managing director of sales and communications with the appointment of Philip Mehl, former vice president of international advertising and communications at T-Mobile. Mehl replaced former marketing head, Keith Hawkins, who left the company shortly before it rebranded with the backing of an extensive £20 million cross-media campaign (see Wanadoo Raids T-Mobile For Marketing Chief).
Wanadoo: 0870 872 0099 www.wanadoo.co.uk
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