Slovak MVNO Radost, run by the operator O2 Slovakia, has launched public Wi-Fi services at Bratislava’s Tyrsak beach. The services will be available until the end of September.

The operator has installed a terminal at the beach so that people can purchase SIMs from Radost. Customers buying the packages there will get a 50 percent discount on any tariff during the first month.

Tarifica’s Take

Virtual operators—whether scrappy competitors of the MNOs or if-you-can’t beat-them-join-them sub-brands of the major operators—have long relied on clever branding and marketing schemes to attract attention and win the loyalty of customers.

Offering free public Wi-Fi at a popular resort and entertainment spot outdoors is an excellent way to get attention and recruit new subscribers. By way of the Wi-Fi, users will be able to (at least indirectly) sample Radost’s signal. If they are satisfied with the connectivity, as they likely will be, they will be able to immediately purchase SIM cards, at a discount, right at the site. It seems to be an excellent formula for subscriber acquisition, and while getting a Radost SIM may be an impulse buy, fueled by the fun and sun at the beach, it will likely not be regretted, given that it is a prepaid, no-commitment arrangement. Overall, it sounds like savvy sub-brand summer marketing.