PLANTATION, Fla. — A new agreement between Transnet Wireless Corp. and the TBC Corp. — parent company of Tire Kingdom, National Tire and Battery (NTB) and Merchant's Tire and Auto — will provide wireless and walkup Internet access to customers waiting for automotive service in a total of 65 retail locations, including Tire Kingdom stores in Tampa/St. Petersburg and Orlando, Fla., and NTB stores in Houston, Texas. According to a news release, this is the biggest rollout to date for Transnet.
Transnet's wireless Internet kiosks — which let users either access the Internet on the actual kiosk, or utilize the wireless connection on their own laptop — will allow Tire Kingdom and NTB stores to be the first of their kind to offer this convenient service. Retail locations will begin to offer this service in the first part of September.
"Transnet is extremely pleased to be the premier wireless Internet service provider for TBC Corp., and, as a result, the retail automotive service market as a whole," said Brad Cartwright, president of Transnet Wireless. "We think this will be a very successful venture for TBC stores and an added convenience for their customers, and the addition of Transnet Wireless Internet service will set the standard for other companies to follow."
Transnet Wireless is establishing a national network of Wi-Fi Hot Spots through a private local distributorship program. In the deal with TBC, Transnet will manage the setup and maintenance through the distributor partnership program. Following a successful pilot program in the initial 65 locations, TBC plans to introduce this service to all 620 retail locations.
