"Road warriors" are a new breed of users whose lifestyles are putting a greater demand on mobility. Hand in hand, wireless internet and laptops provided the answer, allowing many a proposal, transaction, and even common day-to-day activities to take place on the digital highway.

And with the entry of WiGO, the country’s first ever sponsorship-driven, free WiFi service, buying costly WiFi by the hour will be a thing of the past.

WiGO’s bold foray into the local internet landscape may just provide a sustainable long-term solution for free WiFi to exist.

The business model is built on the support of advertisers who are encouraged to put informative or promotional messages to a captive audience. The key is its WiGO toolbar, a client application that is downloaded and run by the user in order to gain internet access. In turn, the toolbar displays advertising messages in a "discreet yet persistent manner", as chief operating officer Liza de los Reyes explains.

"Users are presented with advertising in a totally unique way," she says. "First, it is presented the entire time the user is online; second, the user can be identified and future direct marketing is possible; and third, advertising can be delivered depending on the user profile, which makes the ad more relevant to both the audience and the advertiser."

Company officials are betting on laptops and mobile devices eclipsing desktop sales, especially as 2005 showed a 60:40 ratio with laptop computers already outselling desktop PCs. This is attributable to more mobile lifestyles and significant reductions in laptop computer pricing. "And as we see this trend continuing, thus our aggressive deployment of WiFi hotspots nationwide," de los Reyes adds.

The service brings a three-fold benefit: the service is free to the end-user, the establishment gets in own captive portal and the benefit of continued patronage from customers, and the advertiser targets a valuable demographic and gains the opportunity to engage the end user in a deeper manner.

These advantages provide a win-win solution for all parties, making the service sustainable in the long run. Establishments are provided a turn-key system that is operated and managed by WiGO at no cost. For as long as the eyeballs are present, advertisers are sure to come.

Toolbar advertising is just one of several ways that advertisers can communicate with WiGO users. Soon, as de los Reyes says, other types of digital communications will be available, giving highly effective yet low cost solutions for major brands and content providers.

Today, the WiGO service is available in Rockwell Center’s Power Plant Mall and Block 9 row of restaurants, popular food courts in the Makati Central Business District, the National Library, BelAir Community Park, and soon, in major campuses and establishments in Metro Manila.