Customers buying digital equipment from the John Lewis Department Store in Milton Keynes are amongst the first in the UK to have free broadband connection from any WiFi enabled phone, pc, or home entertainment equipment. Shoppers can now log on to the high speed Britezone WiFi service from the audio department inside the John Lewis store, or at the Place to Eat restaurant above Middleton Hall inside Milton Keynes shopping centre.
Britezone is the fast growing free WiFi service from Cranfield-based wireless technology and information service provider Briteyellow Ltd. Milton Keynes Britezone extends from Milton Keynes central station square, along Midsummer Boulevard, across thehub:mk, and Midsummer Place, right up to the John Lewis store at the end of the shopping centre.
John Lewis Partnership Milton Keynes is a gold sponsor of the Milton Keynes Britezone. Deborah Strazza, Managing Director said: "We are delighted to be one of the first department stores in the UK to offer customers free high speed internet inside our store. We see a growing demand from customers for WiFi internet access using many types of modern digital equipment from phones to home audio/tv systems. By partnering with Briteyellow to provide secure free WiFi inside the John Lewis Milton Keynes store our customers will benefit by having the opportunity to test new products before they purchase”.
Fredi Nonyelu, Briteyellow MD, greeted the service saying, " We are pleased to be chosen by John Lewis to manage a scaleable high speed WiFi service inside the store. The growth of online shopping over the Christmas period underlines the importance of the internet as a sales channel for modern retailers”.
John Lewis Milton Keynes and Briteyellow signed a sponsorship agreement in October 2007 to extend coverage of the Milton Keynes Britezone service from Milton Keynes Central Station right up to the John Lewis department store.
John Lewis Milton Keynes’ logo appears to every user when they first log on to the Britezone. Users are able to choose free access basic broadband or paid subscription for faster connection speeds.
Release ends
Information for editors:
For Services enquiries contact Elena Quintana, Briteyellow. Tel: 0870 121 3664 E-mail elena.quintana@briteyellow.com
PHOTO
Deborah Strazz Managing Director John Lewis Partnership Milton Keynes
Fredi Nonyelu Managing Director Briteyellow Limited
The John Lewis Partnership The John Lewis Partnership operates 26 department stores across the UK, John Lewis Direct - a website and catalogue business, 183 Waitrose supermarkets and Greenbee, a new direct services company. The business has an annual turnover of almost £6bn.
Waitrose Waitrose combines the convenience of a supermarket with the expertise and service of a specialist shop. It offers fresh and frozen foods, wines and groceries as well as delicatessen, cheese, fresh fish, meat, patisserie and hot-food counters. Waitrose is dedicated to offering quality, value and customer service. (www.waitrose.com)
John Lewis John Lewis typically stocks more than 350,000 separate lines. The website stocks more than 20,000 lines focused on the best of home and giftware and is consistently ranked one of the top online shopping destinations in the UK. (www.johnlewis.com)
Greenbee In October 2006 the Partnership launched Greenbee, a new direct services company which offers a carefully edited range of financial, travel and leisure services with the same levels of integrity, quality, value and service that customers have come to expect from Waitrose and John Lewis. (www.greenbee.com)
Briteyellow is Briteyellow is a specialist wireless systems integrator. The company offers high-performance wireless broadband, fixed-wireless broadband telephony, and location-based real-time information services for government, enterprise and service providers across. (www.briteyellow.com).
Milton Keynes Partnership created in June 2004 is responsible for growth, development and investment in the new city. It is a sub-committee of national regeneration agency English Partnerships and brings together Milton Keynes Council, Local Strategic Partnership representatives from the health, community and business sectors and independent representation. (www.investmiltonkeynes.co.uk - www.miltonkeynespartnership.info)
Milton Keynes is Britain's fastest growing city and one of the most commercially successful with regional, national and international recognition as a great place to live and do business.