Free BT Wi-fi while you shop at eight Prupim UK shopping centres

DC13-103 9th April 2013

Free BT Wi-fi while you shop at eight Prupim UK shopping centres

More than 118million shoppers will have access to free Wi-fi at eight of the UKs leading shopping centres, following the signing of a new partnership between PRUPIM, the real estate investment management arm of M&G, and BT.

Manchester Arndale, The Mall at Cribbs Causeway, Bristol, The Brunswick Centre in Scarborough, The Grafton Centre in Cambridge, Cwmbran Shopping Centre, The Galleries in Washington, Tyne and Wear, Culver Square Shopping Centre in Colchester and Rams Walk Shopping Centre in Petersfield will introduce centre-wide free public BT Wi-fi over the coming weeks, starting with The Mall at Cribbs Causeway where the service launches next week (17th April).

The move was made in response to customer feedback and an increasingly omni-channel retail marketplace, and is expected to have a positive impact on the time consumers spend in the eight centres. It will give retailers an opportunity to promote offers, and highlight special centre events and messages to a captive audience, in accordance with the wider customer engagement programmes run at each of the shopping centres.

John Duxbury, Director of Asset Management & Leasing at PRUPIM, comments: Shopping behaviour is changing and retailing is a more interactive experience than ever before. As one of the UK's leading retail sector investors we want to support our retailers' growing omni-channel operations and to create a fuller shopping experience within our centres for customers; this partnership with BT is a key part of that strategy.

Andy Baker, CEO, BT Wi-fi, said: More and more shoppers are using wi-fi enabled devices to log onto the internet via BT Wi-fi. In fact, our research shows that 52% of people now use a tablet or smartphone when shopping.

We already operate the largest wi-fi network in the UK, with more than 4.5 million hotspots, and our new partnership with PRUPIM brings this valued service to an even bigger audience, offering even greater levels of service for shoppers enjoying a day out.

-Ends-

About PRUPIM

PRUPIM is the real estate fund management arm of M&G and is one of the top 20 real estate fund managers in the world by assets under management, with over £16 billion* invested in a broad spread of properties across Europe, North America and the Asia Pacific Region. M&G is the investment arm of Prudential Plc in the UK and Europe. For more information, visit www.prupim.com. *As at 31 December 2012.

Please direct any press enquiries to Sophie Elliott or Patrick Baxter at Redwood Consulting on 020 7828 5553 or email sophie@redwoodconsulting.co.uk

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