STRATEGIC PARTNERS
February 27, 2002
PHOENIX - Petroleum company Phillips 66 Co. is teaming with Global Access Alliance Inc. and Info Touch Technologies Corp. on a kiosk program that will allow service station customers to fill up on bill-paying, online shopping, and CD burning.
The ZapLink public access kiosk program, announced on Oct. 16, will begin with a trial launch at Circle K stations in Phoenix and Philadelphia this fall. If successful, plans are to introduce the kiosks in more than 1,100 stations nationally during 2002. Circle K is a division of Phillips 66.
The kiosks will offer Internet access, video teleconferencing, pre-paid telecommunications, local news and information, online shopping, bill paying, and access to electronic media - including software and music - that can be burned on CDs. Customer fees will range from free to 20 cents per minute depending on usage.
"We are very excited to offer our customers access to the latest Web-based technologies," Doug Hecker, Phillips 66 retail marketing manager, said in a news release. "We think customers will respond very positively to the new technologies we are bringing to the convenience store format."
Global Access, a coalition of kiosk companies, will install 40 ZapLink kiosks in Philadelphia and selected truck stops in the Southeast. Info Touch, a kiosk manufacturer based in Burnaby, British Columbia, will place kiosks at 35 Circle K locations in Phoenix.
If the project is successful, Info Touch will deploy up to 650 kiosks throughout the Phillips chain, while Global Access will deploy more than 500 new kiosks.
"As this network of kiosks expands, much like the ATM and pay telephone, public access kiosks will provide a much-needed service to the community and the traveler," Robert Needham, Global Access president and chief executive officer, said in a news release.
[Editor's note: Info Touch Technologies became Tio Networks in April 2006.]
