Collaboration brings free WiFi to American malls

That free access could become extremely important as more shoppers look to mobile for deals, sale information or to compare pricing while in-store.

"Over $230 Billion is spent in US shopping centers each year," said Cloud Nine CEO Sebastian Tonkin. "With an increasing percentage of shoppers connecting to WiFi on their smartphones as they shop, retail WiFi sponsorship represents a massive opportunity to engage interested users on their own devices right at the point of purchase. We're thrilled to be able to add DragNFly's locations to our network and partner with them in exploring this exciting new space."

The Cloud Nine platform provides WiFi sponsorship and advertising to more than 5,000 public locations nationwide; the collaboration with DragNFly will bring more WiFi acces to an increasingly mobile public. The sponsorship model allows brands to deliver location-based, targeted ads, offers, content and rich media to local consumers.

"Shopping centers have begun to realize that WiFi is a 'must-have' amenity," said Duran Johnson, President of DragNFly Wireless. "With a flood of WiFi enabled phones, media players, tablets, and eReaders pouring into shopping malls combined with the use of social media and shopping apps, it's no surprise that shoppers want WiFi to make the shopping experience better; all truly complement each other. We are honored and excited to partner with Cloud Nine in order to leverage their network of advertisers for our customers."

Brands that have leveraged the Cloud Nine platform in the past include Symantec, AirLingus and Old Spice.

Tags: Cloud Nine Media, DragNFly, ecommerce, m:commerce trends, mobile ads, mobile marketing